Research Summary

Our research collaboration focuses on the production and characterization of electrospun and electro-sprayed non-woven fiber meshes constructed from hyaluronic acid (HA) composites. HA is an extremely versatile carbohydrate polymer representing a class of compounds known as glycosaminoglycans or GAGS. The polymer is currently gaining widespread use in biocompatible devices. These composites will have an electroactive component and will incorporate nanocrystals or related materials into the molecular infrastructure of the fiber meshes. In the course of this research we will use crosslinking strategies and vary composite components and their molecular masses to maximize product usefulness. In addition, we use TEM, SEM, FTIR, TM-AFM, and Zeiss Optical Microscopy to analyze product surface features. The results of our research is expected to be a model for the production of novel biocompatible, antibacterial, "smart" materials designed for use in device fabrication and biomedical research.