A three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber scaffold for use in repairing a defect in a tissue substrate is provided. The three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber scaffold includes a first layer formed by a first plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers and a second layer formed by a second plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers. The second layer is coupled to the first layer using a coupling process and includes a plurality of varying densities formed by the second plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers. The first and second layers are configured to degrade via hydrolysis after at least one of a predetermined time or an environmental condition. The three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber scaffold is configured to be applied to the tissue substrate containing the defect.

A continuous wire drive system for a needleless electrospinning apparatus, the electrospinning apparatus including an electrospinning enclosure and within which a nanoscale or submicron scale polymer fiber web is formed onto a substrate from a liquid polymer layer coated onto a plurality of continuous electrode wires passing through the electrospinning enclosure. The continuous wire drive system includes a master wire drive drum and a slave wire drive drum, each of the master wire drive drum and slave wire drive drum including a plurality of wire guides, each of the wire guides including a channel or groove for receiving one of the plurality of continuous electrode wires. The continuous wire drive system is external to the electrospinning apparatus, and the continuous wire drive system drives the plurality of continuous electrode wires through the electrospinning enclosure.

An apparatus for continuous needleless electrospinning of a nanoscale or submicron scale polymer fiber web onto a substrate includes an electrospinning enclosure that includes at least one liquid polymer coating device and an electro spinning zone and a wire drive system located external to the electro spinning enclosure. The wire drive system drives a plurality of continuous electrode wires through the electrospinning enclosure. A liquid polymer recycle and feed system is located external to the electrospinning enclosure and includes a recycle and feed tank that supplies liquid polymer to and receives overflow liquid polymer from the at least one liquid polymer coating device. A vapor collection and solvent recovery system includes at least one exhaust stream, collects and processes vapors generated in the electrospinning enclosure, and maintains a pressure in the electrospinning enclosure that is lower than atmospheric pressure.

A handheld portable electrostatic device for electrostatically applying a treatment solution to a treatment site of a patient, including a housing and a cartridge removably disposed in the housing. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing and a nozzle for applying the treatment solution. An electrostatic module is provided to electrostatically charge and ionize molecules of the treatment solution of the cartridge. The treatment solution is configured to flow toward the nozzle whereby at least one electrode electrically connected to the electrostatic module physically contacts the treatment solution as it flows therethrough and applies an electrical charge to the treatment solution.

An electrospinning device is provided with a container for holding a liquid comprising a polymer melt or a polymer solution, and a nozzle arranged to outlet a stream of the liquid from the container. A collector collects electro spun material during electrospinning so as to form a fibrous structure. The device comprises an optical measurement system that measures a baseline distance between the collector and the optical measurement system for at least one location on a surface of the collector, and also measures a momentary distance between the optical measurement system and a momentary top layer of the fibrous structure during the electrospinning process. A processor calculates a momentary thickness of the fibrous structure. Once a required thickness is reached the electrospinning can be stopped.

An improved electro hydrodynamic method is provided. The method comprises arranging (11) an electro hydrodynamic device inside an enclosure and distributing (12) positive and/or negative ions inside the enclosure during a charging period with a certain defined amount of power. The distribution of the positive and/or the negative ions inside the enclosure (20) is performed so that a predefined amount of charge is set on the interior of the enclosure (20). Within a predetermined period of time after the charging period has ended, the electrospinning device is activated so as to create a product. Finally, the product is removed from the device. The present invention offers a solution for the problem of non-identical initial process conditions for an electro hydrodynamic process caused by any electric charges on the equipment.

An electrospinning device (1; 30) is provided comprising: a container (2) for holding a liquid comprising a polymer melt or a polymer solution; a nozzle (3) arranged to outlet a stream of the liquid from the container; a collecting surface (4) for collecting electro spun material coming from the nozzle during an electrospinning process so as to form a fibrous structure (8) on the collecting surface (4); a voltage supply system (5) arranged to create a voltage difference between the nozzle and the collecting surface (4), one or more electrostatic emitters (10; 38) arranged to locally distribute positive and/or negative ions onto the fibrous structure, and one or more rotatable bodies (6; 36) arranged to cause the collecting surface (4) to face the nozzle (3) and the electrostatic emitters (10; 38) in turn.

An applicator is disclosed for applying a treatment solution to a treatment site of a patient. The applicator can include an applicator housing comprising a treatment solution reservoir. A cartridge can be removably disposed in the housing. The cartridge when arranged in the housing can be in fluid communication with the treatment solution reservoir. The cartridge can include an electrostatic module for electrostatically charging the treatment solution in the treatment solution reservoir; and a nozzle for applying the treatment solution.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a dental cord. The method including: producing a spinning solution by dissolving a fiber-moldable hydrophobic polymer material in a solvent; spinning the spinning solution to obtain a polymer nanofiber web composed of nanofibers and including three-dimensional micropores; laminating the polymer nanofiber web to obtain a polymer membrane; slitting the polymer membrane to obtain a nanofiber tape yarn; hydrophilic-treating the nanofiber tape yarn to obtain a hydrophilic-treated nanofiber tape yarn; plying and twisting the hydrophilic-treated nanofiber tape yarn with a covered yarn to obtain a nanofiber multiple yarn; and impregnating the nanofiber multiple yarn with a hemostatic agent.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a polycaprolactone nanostructure with improved cell adhesive ability containing fucoidan according to the present invention comprises dissolving fucoidan in glacial acetic acid as a solvent to obtain fucoidan-glacial acetic acid solution, mixing polycaprolactone with the fucoidan-glacial acetic acid solution to obtain a polycaprolactone-mixed solution, and manufacturing a nanostructure from the polycaprolactone-mixed solution by an electrospinning method. Therefore, a polycaprolactone nanostructure with improved cell adhesive ability containing fucoidan manufactured by the method according to the present invention exhibits characteristics of preventing fucoidan from being released from nanofibers by uniformly distributing fucoidan in the polycaprolactone nanostructure. Accordingly, the fucoidan-containing polycaprolactone nanostructure exhibits an effect capable of controlling cell activity while culturing adhered cells by facilitating adhesion of various types of cells.