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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3398-4360

Access Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

Chemical Engineering

Degree Type

Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (M.S.Ch.E.)

Year Degree Awarded

2019

Month Degree Awarded

May

Abstract

Electrospun nanofibers have been used for many applications, but a reliance on organic solvents limits their use in biomedical fields. In this study, we successfully electrospun nanofibers from aqueous chitosan-hyaluronic acid complex coacervates. We studied how solvent’ properties affected the average nanofiber diameter by using pure water as a solvent versus ethanol-water solutions. Experimentally, we investigated the effect of electrospinning apparatus parameters, such as how the applied voltage affected fiber formation and morphology. The smallest average nanofiber diameter was determined to be around 115 ± 30 nm when 3 wt% ethanol coacervate samples were electrospun using the applied voltage of 24 kV. Linear viscoelastic measurements were used to study the rheological characterization of complex coacervate with different salt concentrations and cosolvents (e.g., ethanol weight percent). Chitosan-hyaluronic acid nanofibers hold potential in biomedical applications such as wound dressing, tissue engineering, would healing scaffolds.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/14179920

First Advisor

Jessica D. Schiffman

Second Advisor

Sarah L. Perry

Third Advisor

Wei Fan

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