Date of Publication

7-17-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Honors) - Ladderized

Subject Categories

Chemical Engineering

College

Gokongwei College of Engineering

Department/Unit

Chemical Engineering

Thesis Advisor

Nathaniel P. Dugos
Joseph Rey H. Sta. Agueda
Allan N. Soriano

Defense Panel Chair

Susan A. Roces

Defense Panel Member

Vergel C. Bungay
Angelo Earvin S. Choi

Abstract (English)

Scaffolding is a less intrusive way for the regeneration of damaged urethral tissue compared to tissue grafting. The study focuses on the use of polyurethane (PU)-decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) scaffolds electrospun produced from varying PU-dECM concentrations and electrospinning voltages for the production of tunable biomimetic scaffolds as an alternative specialized urethral restoration method. Porcine urethra dECM was produced through immersion-60 W sonication of porcine urethra at 0.5% w/v sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), after which it was solubilized. PU and dECM were dissolved in 7:3 dimethylsulfoxide:ethanol (DMSO:EtOH) solvent at ratios of 90:10, 85:15, and 80:20 for a total polymer concentration of 9.5% w/v. Following this, electrospinning was conducted at voltages of 29 kV, 32 kV, and 35 kV at a 3.75 mL/h flowrate for 90 min, 22-gauge needle and 7.5 cm tip-to-collector distance on a 130 rpm rotating drum collector. Solution viscosity decreased while conductivity increased as a result of increased dECM concentration. Increasing dECM concentration also decreased the Young’s moduli, ultimate stress, and ultimate strain of the fibers, and the concentration-voltage interaction also introduced a significant effect on the Young’s moduli and ultimate stress. The treatments of 80:20 at 29 kV, 90:10 at 29 kV, and 90:10 at 32 kV, expressed as PU:dECM ratio and electrospinning voltage combination, were predicted to produce Young’s moduli close to that of the human urethra at 0.034±0.01 MPa with Young’s moduli of 0.0472±0.0329 MPa, 0.0469±0.029 3MPa, and 0.0765±0.0979 MPa respectively and were selected for characterization. Fibers with random orientation and diameters of 1.05-1.41 μm, 1.34-1.51 μm, and 1.30-1.45 μm respectively were produced. Highest porosity was observed on the 80:20@29 kV treatment. The fibers did not return a dECM signal at the surface, implying coating of dECM. For urethral scaffold applications, the 90:10@29 kV fibers reported the best hydrophilicity and biodegradability at 46.34±24.07° and 11.66±6.92% (w.b.) respectively.

Abstract Format

html

Abstract (Filipino)

None

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Polyurethanes

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Embargo Period

7-17-2026

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