Size Characteristics of Electrosprayed Polyethylene Glycol Beads for Producing Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

Abstract

Submersion Electrospraying involves the injection of a polymer solution with photo-initiator into an immiscible liquid under an electric field. This document will reveal the changes in size and yield percentage of poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel beads created with submersion electrospraying and UV light photo-polymerization. The varied physical parameters include: polymer chain molecular weight, intensity of the electric field applied, cross-linker used, the distance from the syringe to the electrical grounding ring, the flowrate from the syringe, and the gauge size of the syringe needle. Once size from each physical parameter was characterized, bead sizes from 0.712mm to 0.150mm were used to produce tissue engineering scaffolds, and their effects on retention of PBS were characterized during degradation.