Optimization of Structural Morphology and Tensile Sterilization Resilience of 3D PLLA/CMS Electrospun Nanofibers for Wound Care Scaffolds
Various factors, such as materials, fabrication techniques, parameters, and sterilization, play important roles in the scaffold’s success by directly affecting its performance. Optimizing these factors can result in the fabrication of scaffolds with desirable properties. Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) is a biodegradable synthetic polymer commonly used in biomedical applications. Carboxymethyl Starch (CMS) is a natural polymer derived from starch. The purpose of this research is to systematically optimize the electrospinning processing window and determine the post-sterilization structural resilience of Poly (L-Lactic Acid) (PLLA)/Carboxymethyl Starch (CMS) composite matrices intended for biomedical applications. While PLLA offers excellent mechanical integrity, its hydrophobicity limits cell attachment; conversely, natural CMS is highly hydrophilic but suffers from poor processability on its own. This study fills a critical research gap by defining the interaction effects between polymer concentrations (5, 7, and 10 wt.%) and applied voltage (10 and 15 kV), and by expanding operational output parameters to include bead-density mapping and fiber-diameter distributions. To assess mechanical pre-clinical viability, matrices were exposed to gamma radiation doses (0, 15, 25, and 50 kGy). Structural optimization screening isolated Sample 1.2 (5 wt.% PLLA/ 5 wt.% CMS/ at 15 kV) as the optimal bead-free configuration and an average fiber diameter of 130.3 ± 40.2 nm. Tensile profiling proved that ultimate tensile strength (UTS) remained stable up to 25 kGy (1.693 ± 0.572 MPa) before undergoing severe degradation at 50 kGy (0.663 ± 0.341 MPa). These findings offer a systematically validated structural framework for advanced wound dressings.