Creating biocompatible fibers.(Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University research on nonwoven fibrous mats )

R & D, March, 2006

Researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, have developed a single-step process for creating nonwoven fibrous mats from a small organic molecule--creating a new nanoscale material with potential applications where biocompatible materials are required. The research was carried out by Matthew McKee, a recent PhD graduate in chemical engineering and chemistry professor Timothy Long.

Studying self-assembly

"Phospholipids, which are the main component of cell membranes in the human body, are exquisite in terms of their ability to self-organize," says Long.

The researchers used a natural mixture of phospholipids and neutral lipids called lecithin. These materials will spontaneously organize into...

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