Tissue Scaffold
AssigneeUniversity of Ulster
InventorsPeter O'Hare, George Burke, Brian Meenan, Patrick Porter, Chris Rea
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Abstract
A process of forming a tissue scaffold is described, the process comprising electrospinning polymer fibers from a spinneret onto a tissue scaffold template. In embodiments, the fibers are plasma-treated between the spinneret and the template. The scaffold may be constructed of alternating layers of aligned and randomly oriented fibers. The scaffold may be heat treated to control the mechanical properties of the scaffold, such as density, pore size and pore interconnectivity.
Claims21
A method of forming a tissue scaffold, the method comprising:
- providing an electrospinning apparatus comprising a spinneret and a tissue scaffold template spaced from the spinneret;
- electrospinning a polymer from the spinneret onto the template to form the tissue scaffold;
- and
- exposing the polymer to a plasma.
A method of forming a tissue scaffold, the method comprising:
- electrospinning a first polymer layer onto a tissue scaffold template;
- and
- electrospinning a second polymer layer onto the template;
- wherein the template rotates during the electrospinning of one of the first and second polymer layers, and wherein the template does not rotate during the electrospinning of the other of the first and second polymer layers.
A method of forming a tissue scaffold, the method comprising:
- electrospinning a polymer onto a tissue scaffold template to form a tissue scaffold;
- and
- heat treating the electrospun tissue scaffold at a temperature of between 20° C. and 200° C. to alter at least one of a density of the scaffold, a pore size of the tissue scaffold and a pore interconnectivity.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.