Date Approved
6-16-2025
Embargo Period
6-16-2027
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department
Chemistry and Biochemistry
College
College of Science & Mathematics
Advisor
Ping Lu, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Xiao Hu, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Lei Yu, Ph.D.
Abstract
This study produced silk and ethyl cellulose (EC) nanofibers loaded with rhodamine B (RhB) by blend electrospinning. Further research will be done using coaxial electrospinning techniques to fabricate core-shell nanofibers with either RhB or doxorubicin (DOX) and phase change material (PCM). EC is a cellulose derivative widely used as an excipient in the pharmaceutical industry and an ideal polymer for controlled drug release. Silk fiber (SF), particularly SF (the structural protein of silk) and sericin (the gum-like coating), has gained significant attention in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields, due to its unique biological, chemical, and physical properties. PCM is composed of a 4:1 mixture of lauric acid (LA) and stearic acid (SA) in the shell, which has a melting point close to physiological body temperature. The structural morphology and thermal stability of the microparticles have been confirmed by various analyses, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). By combining silk with EC, the electrospinning velocity has been increased by a factor of 10 compared to the original silk solution sample. These results demonstrate the capability of EC to form a strong connection to silk fiber to produce a large amount of nanofibers, and EC is strongly dissolution in pure ethanol. So, pure ethanol could be used as a good solvent for EC for EC-Silk nanofibers. The release of the drug was influenced by both temperature and PCM loading factors. The results give strong promise for temperature-responsive release of the drug over time and temperature. The drug release results demonstrate the capability of the coaxial electrospinning system to produce controllable over temperature and targeting according to the environment. This approach may prove useful in treating solid tumors while reducing side effects and improving patient compliance and outcomes.
Recommended Citation
XU, KAI, "SILK FIBROIN NANOFIBER DESIGN VIA ELECTROSPINNING FOR TEMPERATURE-RESPONSIVE AND ETHANOL-SENSITIVE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 3395.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3395