RESUMEN

Removal of leukocytes from blood products is the most effective means for elimination of undesirable side effects and prevention of possible reactions in recipients. Micro-fibrous mats are currently used for removal of leukocytes from blood. In this study, samples of electrospun nano-fibrous mats were produced. The performance of the produced electrospun nano-fibrous mats as means of leukocytes removal from fresh whole blood was both evaluated and compared with that of commercially available micro-fibrous mats. In order to produce the samples, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nano-fibrous mats were made under different electrospinning conditions. Mean fiber diameter, pore characterization and surface roughness of the PAN nano-fibrous mats were determined using image processing technique. In order to evaluate the surface tension of the fabricated mats, water contact angle was measured. The leukocyte removal performance, erythrocytes recovery percent and hemolysis rate of the nano-fibrous mats were compared. The effectiveness of nano-fibrous mats in removing leukocyte was established using both scanning electron microscope and optical microscope. Results showed that for given weight, the fabricated nano-fibrous mats were not only more efficient but also more cost-effective than their commercial counterparts. Results confirmed that changes in mean fiber diameter, the number of layer and weight of each layer in the absence of any chemical reaction or physical surface modification, the fabricated nano-fibrous mats were able to remove 5-log of leukocytes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1759-1769, 2018.

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RESUMEN

For the first time, a low cost strategy is introduced to enhance the efficiency of CO2 absorption using gas-liquid membrane contactors. This is implemented by designing the corrugations in the inner layer of poly(vinyl chloride) hollow fibers (PVC HFs) through changing the bore fluid composition. In fact, the number of corrugations in the HF inner layer is engineered via changing the phase separation time within the inner layer. Such that expedited phase separation leads to highly corrugated inner layer. In contrast, decelerated phase separation is responsible for reduced number of inner layer corrugations. Phase separation causes the initial polymer solution with low viscoelastic moduli to be transferred into polymer-rich domains with high viscoelastic moduli. These domains resist against stretching-induced radial forces toward the center of HF; therefore, the inner layer of HF buckles. Delayed phase separation defers formation of polymer-rich domains and hence, HF with less corrugated inner surface is expected. The phase separation within the HF inner layer is controlled through changing the rate of solvent/nonsolvent exchange. This is conducted by variation the solvent content in the bore fluid; as higher as solvent content, as slower as solvent/nonsolvent exchange.