"SILK FIBROIN NANOFIBER DESIGN VIA ELECTROSPINNING FOR TEMPERATURE-RESP" by KAI XU

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.

Available for download on Wednesday, June 16, 2027

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