The instant invention provides electrospun fiber compositions comprising one or more polymers and one or more biologically active agents. In specific embodiments, the biologically active agents are nerve growth factors. In certain embodiments, the electrospun fiber compositions comprising one or more biologically active agents are on the surface of a film, or a tube. The tubes comprising the electrospun fiber compositions of the invention can be used, for example, as nerve guide conduits.

A sound absorbing body comprises a non-woven fabric or a non-woven fabric laminate, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate comprises a fiber that has an average fiber diameter of less than 3,000 nm, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a thickness of less than 10 mm, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a unit thickness flow resistance of greater than 4.0 E+06 Ns/m.sup.4 and less than 5.0 E+08 Ns/m.sup.4, and the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a bulk density of greater than 70 kg/m.sup.3 and less than 750 kg/m.sup.3.

A material comprising a fine fiber pulp is provided. The fine fiber pulp has a plurality of fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 1 micron and an average length of less than 1 millimeter. In embodiments, the fine fibers formed of a polymer. The material can be created according to a method in which the fine fiber strands are formed from a polymer melt or a polymer solution, the fine fiber strands are cooled to a temperature of less than −25° C. to increase brittleness of the fine fibers, and the fine fiber strands are granulated into the fine fiber pulp.

In accordance with one embodiment, a polymer composite comprises a filler and a matrix. The filler comprises an electrospun polymer mat. The matrix comprises a polymer film. The filler is arranged to respond to stimuli by altering its mechanical properties. In one example, the mat can be electrospun from poly(vinyl alcohol), and the matrix can be formed from ethylene oxide-epichlorohydrin 1:1 copolymer. The filler can be arranged so that the tensile storage modulus of the polymer composite changes in response to the filler being exposed to a stimulus. In another example, the filler is about four percent by weight of the polymer composite.

The present application is directed to the field of scaffolds for tissue engineering. The scaffolds are typically comprised of nanofibers and are optionally biomineralized. The present application provides a process for forming nanofibrous materials via electrospinning and for biomineralizing such materials. The scaffolds of the present application can be biomineralized and contain a plurality of cells either on or within the scaffold, resulting in synthetic, bioresorbable scaffolds that can be used in various biomedical applications, such as for bone regeneration.

A three-dimensional electrospun biomedical patch includes a first polymeric scaffold having a first structure of deposited electrospun fibers extending in a plurality of directions in three dimensions to facilitate cellular migration for a first period of time upon application of the biomedical patch to a tissue, wherein the first period of time is less than twelve months, and a second polymeric scaffold having a second structure of deposited electrospun fibers. The second structure of deposited electrospun fibers includes the plurality of deposited electrospun fibers configured to provide structural reinforcement for a second period of time upon application of the three-dimensional electrospun biomedical patch to the tissue wherein the second period of time is less than twelve months. The three-dimensional electrospun biomedical patch is sufficiently pliable and resistant to tearing to enable movement of the three-dimensional electrospun biomedical patch with the tissue.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for applying specially formulated spray materials. The feedstock for the spray materials includes one or more immiscible materials. To mix immiscible materials at low pressure, the materials are applied from separate inputs of a fixture to separate channels where they are permitted to flow to and spread over surfaces or edges at selected thicknesses. On the surfaces or edges the materials are each subject to flowing air that forms small particles or drops even though the materials may be viscous. The particles or drops are mixed together and may be applied to a combustion device or spray device or any other device utilizing the mixture.

Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional and/or tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize non-coiled or coiled yarns and can be either neat or comprising a guest. Devices comprising these artificial muscles are also described.

A bacteria-responsive color-changing, core-shell nanofiber, comprising polyurethane (PU), a hemicyanine-based chromogenic probe localized in the core-shell nanofiber near the surface of the shell, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) dopant in the shell, the hemicyanine-based chromogenic probe further comprising a labile ester linkage that is enzymatically cleavable by bacterial lipase released from clinically relevant strains of bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

A tracker system for use in image guided surgery is disclosed. The tracker system may couple to wet tissue and may include a navigation tracker and a base pad that couple to each other. The base pad may be fabricated from a plurality of nonwoven nanofibers. The base pad is configured to couple to body tissue of a patient via at least one of adsorption, hydration equilibrium, and macromolecular interpenetration.