This review provides insights into the current advancements in the field of electrospinning, focusing on its applications for skin tissue engineering. Furthermore, it reports the evolvement and present challenges of advanced skin substitute product development and explores the recent contributions in 2D and 3D scaffolding, focusing on natural, synthetic, and composite nanomaterials. In the past decades, nanotechnology has arisen as a fascinating discipline that has influenced every aspect of science, engineering, and medicine. Electrospinning is a versatile fabrication method that allows researchers to elicit and explore many of the current challenges faced by tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In skin tissue engineering, electrospun nanofibers are particularly attractive due to their refined morphology, processing flexibility-that allows for the formation of unique materials and structures, and its extracellular matrix-like biomimetic architecture. These allow for electrospun nanofibers to promote improved re-epithelization and neo-tissue formation of wounds. Advancements in the use of portable electrospinning equipment and the employment of electrospinning for transdermal drug delivery and melanoma treatment are additionally explored. Present trends and issues are critically discussed based on recently published patents, clinical trials, and in vivo studies. This article is categorized under: Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants.

2D and 3D electrospinning technologies for the fabrication of nanofibrous scaffolds for skin tissue engineering: A review

Gen F Scientists

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are smart materials capable of changing their shapes in a predefined manner under a proper applied stimulus and have gained considerable interest in several application fields. Particularly, two-way and multiple-way SMPs offer unique opportunities to realize untethered soft robots with programmable morphology and/or properties, repeatable actuation, and advanced multi-functionalities. This review presents the recent progress of soft robots based on two-way and multiple-way thermo-responsive SMPs. All the building blocks important for the design of such robots, i.e., the base materials, manufacturing processes, working mechanisms, and modeling and simulation tools, are covered. Moreover, examples of real-world applications of soft robots and related actuators, challenges, and future directions are discussed.

Two-way and multiple-way shape memory polymers for soft robotics: An overview

Development of Satureja cuneifolia-loaded sodium alginate/polyethylene glycol scaffolds produced by 3D-printing technology as a diabetic wound dressing material

Snap‐through bistability is often observed in nature (e.g., fast snapping to closure of Venus flytrap) and the life (e.g., bottle caps and hair clippers). Recently, harnessing bistability and multistability in different structures and soft materials has attracted growing interest for high‐performance soft actuators and soft robots. They have demonstrated broad and unique applications in high‐speed locomotion on land and under water, adaptive sensing and fast grasping, shape reconfiguration, electronics‐free controls with a single input, and logic computation. Here, an overview of integrating bistable and multistable structures with soft actuating materials for diverse soft actuators and soft/flexible robots is given. The mechanics‐guided structural design principles for five categories of basic bistable elements from 1D to 3D (i.e., constrained beams, curved plates, dome shells, compliant mechanisms of linkages with flexible hinges and deformable origami, and balloon structures) are first presented, alongside brief discussions of typical soft actuating materials (i.e., fluidic elastomers and stimuli‐responsive materials such as electro‐, photo‐, thermo‐, magnetic‐, and hydro‐responsive polymers). Following that, integrating these soft materials with each category of bistable elements for soft bistable and multistable actuators and their diverse robotic applications are discussed. To conclude, perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in this emerging field are considered.

Bistable and Multistable Actuators for Soft Robots: Structures, Materials, and Functionalities

Thermally-induced two-way shape memory polymers: Mechanisms, structures, and applications

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) as a relatively new class of smart materials have gained increasing attention in academic research and industrial developments (eg, biomedical engineering, aerospace, robotics, automotive industries, and smart textiles) SMPs can switch their shape, stiffness, size, and structure upon being exposed to external stimuli Electrospinning technique can endow SMPs with micro-/nanocharacteristics for enhanced performance in biomedical applications Dynamically changing micro-/nanofibrous structures have been widely investigated to emulate the dynamical features of the ECM and regulate cell behaviors Structures such as core-shell fibers, developed by coaxial electrospinning, have also gained potential applications as drug carriers and artificial blood vessels The clinical applications of micro-/nanostructured SMP fibers include tissue regeneration, regulating cell behavior, cell growth templates, and wound healing This review presents the molecular architecture of SMPs, the recent developments in electrospinning techniques for the fabrication of SMP micro-/nanofibers, the biomedical applications of SMPs as well as future perspectives for providing dynamic biomaterials structures

Electrospun Shape Memory Polymer Micro-/Nanofibers and Tailoring Their Roles for Biomedical Applications.

Cu–Al–Ni shape-memory alloys are considered as high potential materials for high-temperature applications. The aim of this research was to evaluate the increasing strain value and Cr addition on martensite morphology, transformation temperatures, mechanical, and corrosion properties of Cu–Al–Ni alloy. To this purpose, thermomechanical treatment which includes successive hot rolling, annealing, and hydraulic pressing passes was applied. In addition, tensile test, differential scanning calorimetry, and potentiodynamic polarization were carried out to compare the properties of prepared samples. The results showed that by increasing the applied strain, morphological transition from wide laths to acicular martensite with monoclinic structure was occurred. The chromium element acts as a grain refiner in this alloy by restricting the grain growth. This element leads to microstructural embrittlement, diminishing the mechanical properties. Besides, the influence of applied strain and Cr content on corrosion resistance of Cu–Al–Ni alloy was reciprocal. Despite suitable effect of Cr on corrosion behavior, increasing the applied strain facilitated the corrosion rate. Another subtle point is that both Cr addition and higher strain value reduce austenite to martensite transformation temperatures and hysteresis temperature interval.

Mohadeseh Zare

Papers

Thermally-induced two-way shape memory polymers: Mechanisms, structures, and applications

Electrospun Shape Memory Polymer Micro-/Nanofibers and Tailoring Their Roles for Biomedical Applications.

Effect of chromium element on transformation, mechanical and corrosion behavior of thermomechanically induced Cu–Al–Ni shape-memory alloys

Fabrication of althea officinalis loaded electrospun nanofibrous scaffold for potential application of skin tissue engineering

Application of phytic-acid as an in-situ crosslinking agent in electrospun gelatin-based scaffolds for skin tissue engineering