Inorganic Particles Incorporated into Electrospun Nanofibers: Bioactivity and Antibacterial Properties

Abstract

NaturalNatural or synthetic polymerSynthetic polymernanofibersPolymer nanofiber present great propertiesProperties that allow their use as scaffoldsScaffold for tissue engineeringTissue engineering, such as biocompatibilityBiocompatibility, good mechanical resistanceMechanical resistance, high superficial areaSuperficial area, and porous structurePorous structure, allowing cell infiltrationCell infiltration, adhesionAdhesion, and proliferationProliferation. These propertiesProperties are achieved by the morphologyMorphology control—a result of the parameters set used during the electrospinningElectrospinning process—but, no matter what parameter is studied, the lack of bioactivityBioactivity intrinsic to polymersPolymer cannot be changed. Additionally, considering the scaffoldScaffold’s final applicationApplications, the capability to prevent bacterial proliferationBacterial proliferation should also be a concern. In this scenario, the incorporation of inorganic bioactive particlesInorganic bioactive particle into the nanofibersNanofiber’ porous structurePorous structure has been performed to optimize its biological propertiesBiological properties. EncapsulationEncapsulation, in-situ depositionDeposition, and electrospray depositionElectrospray deposition of bioglassesBioglass, glassGlasses–ceramicsCeramics, calcium phosphatesCalcium phosphate, and metallic nanoparticlesMetallic nanoparticles are being widely explored to enhance both nanofibersNanofiber’ bioactivityBioactivity and antibacterial activityAntibacterial activity. Considering the exposure, this chapter aims to promote an overview regarding the electrospinningElectrospinning technique and ways to overcome nanofibersNanofiber’biologicalBiological limitations by inorganic particleInorganic particles addition by incorporation techniques.