Manufacturing gradient materials using magnetically-assisted electrospinning

Abstract

Described are fibrous materials comprising a plurality of fibers having a longitudinal alignment gradient and/or a longitudinal composition gradient. Also described are methods of preparing the fibrous materials thereof and methods of treating organ or tissue damage with the fibrous materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fibrous material comprising a plurality of polymer fibers, wherein the plurality of fibers has a longitudinal alignment gradient of more than 70% aligned to less than 35% aligned. 
     
     
         2 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material has a longitudinal composition gradient. 
     
     
         3 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymer fibers comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of hyaluronic acid, polyethylene oxide, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, PLGA, polyolefin, polyacrylonitrile, polyurethane, polycarbonate, polycaprolactone, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose, silk, polyaniline, polystyrene, chitosan, nylon, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer fiber comprises a metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
         5 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material comprises a biomolecule, a drug molecule or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers has an average diameter of less than 5 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymer fibers comprises a first fiber and a second fiber. 
     
     
         8 . The fibrous material of  claim 8 , wherein the first fiber and/or the second fiber is present at about 0.1% to about 95% by weight. 
     
     
         9 . The fibrous material of  claim 8 , further comprising a third fiber. 
     
     
         10 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal composition gradient comprises a biomolecule, a drug molecule or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method of preparing a fibrous material comprising a plurality of polymer fibers, the method comprising: electrospinning a polymer fiber onto a collector having a first portion and a second portion to provide a fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of the collector comprises a magnetic field. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the magnetic field is created by at least one magnet. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the applied magnetic field is greater than or equal to 1 mT. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a first fiber and a second fiber are electrospun onto the collector. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first fiber is electrospun onto the first portion of the collector and the second fiber is electrospun onto the second portion of the collector. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising electrospinning a third fiber onto the collector. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising photoconjugating a biomolecule to the fibrous material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the biomolecule is photoconjugated to the fibrous material using UV light or visible light. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising using at least one photo-opaque mask to create at least one longitudinal gradient in the biomolecule conjugation. 
     
     
         20 . A method of treating organ or tissue damage in a subject, the method comprising introducing a fibrous material of  claim 1  into a subject in need thereof at or near the organ or tissue.