Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers for Biomedical Interfaces: Polymer Selection, Architecture, Bioactivation, and Translational Challenges
- 1Department of Chemical Engineering Materials Environment, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano 7, 00161 Rome, Italy
Abstract
Electrospun nanofibers provide high surface area, interconnected porosity, and extracellular-matrix-like architectures that can be combined with controlled degradation, local therapeutic delivery, and surface biofunctionalization. This review examines bioactive electrospun materials from a materials-design perspective, focusing on the relationships among polymer selection, electrospinning conditions, fiber architecture, bioactive-agent localization, and application-specific performance. Synthetic biodegradable polymers, natural and bio-derived polymers, and hybrid systems are discussed together with random, aligned, multilayer, and core–shell architectures. Bioactivation strategies include direct incorporation of therapeutic agents or functional nanophases, core–shell localization for payload protection and release control, surface functionalization, endogenous-factor recruitment, and stimulus-responsive activation. Three biomedical interfaces are considered as contrasting application models: wound dressings, urological repair, and implant or biomedical-device coatings. Their comparison highlights distinct requirements related to hydration, mechanical loading, microbial exposure, tissue interaction, coating–substrate integrity, and functional lifetime. Particular attention is given to wet-state stability, preservation of bioactive function, sterilization, manufacturing reproducibility, and validation against application-specific failure modes. Overall, the assessment of electrospun biomedical materials should extend beyond as-fabricated morphology and bioactive-agent incorporation to establish whether structural, interfacial, and biological functions are retained under application-relevant conditions.
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BibTeX
@article{ciarleglio2026electrospun,
title = {{Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers for Biomedical Interfaces: Polymer Selection, Architecture, Bioactivation, and Translational Challenges}},
author = {Gianluca Ciarleglio and Maria Gabriella Santonicola},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/polym18212750},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2750},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers for Biomedical Interfaces: Polymer Selection, Architecture, Bioactivation, and Translational Challenges
AU - Gianluca Ciarleglio
AU - Maria Gabriella Santonicola
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18212750
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2750
AB - Electrospun nanofibers provide high surface area, interconnected porosity, and extracellular-matrix-like architectures that can be combined with controlled degradation, local therapeutic delivery, and surface biofunctionalization. This review examines bioactive electrospun materials from a materials-design perspective, focusing on the relationships among polymer selection, electrospinning conditions, fiber architecture, bioactive-agent localization, and application-specific performance. Synthetic biodegradable polymers, natural and bio-derived polymers, and hybrid systems are discussed together with random, aligned, multilayer, and core–shell architectures. Bioactivation strategies include direct incorporation of therapeutic agents or functional nanophases, core–shell localization for payload protection and release control, surface functionalization, endogenous-factor recruitment, and stimulus-responsive activation. Three biomedical interfaces are considered as contrasting application models: wound dressings, urological repair, and implant or biomedical-device coatings. Their comparison highlights distinct requirements related to hydration, mechanical loading, microbial exposure, tissue interaction, coating–substrate integrity, and functional lifetime. Particular attention is given to wet-state stability, preservation of bioactive function, sterilization, manufacturing reproducibility, and validation against application-specific failure modes. Overall, the assessment of electrospun biomedical materials should extend beyond as-fabricated morphology and bioactive-agent incorporation to establish whether structural, interfacial, and biological functions are retained under application-relevant conditions.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -