The repair of tendon to bone junction (TBJ) remains a tremendous challenge in tissue engineering due to the complicated structure, components, mechanical properties, and cell types. In order to reconstruct the tissue and restore its functionality, biomedical scaffolds with hierarchical and gradient structures have been fabricated by various strategies. In recent decades, electrospinning has become one of the most popular methods in fabricating TBJ scaffolds due to easy fabrication, high porosity, and ECM-like nano-scale structure. However, mechanical properties are the pain point of electrospun biomedical scaffolds. Traditional textile technology can be exploited to compensate for this weakness, which will be deeply discussed here. This review will start with a brief introduction to the structure and function of the native TBJ tissue and a short overview of electrospinning technology. Then, different electrospun biomedical scaffolds for TBJ repair will be summarized and compared. Furthermore, some advanced technologies and modification methods in fabricating functionalized electrospun TBJ scaffolds are discussed. In the end, current challenges and solutions are being proposed, which would provide instruction for the research of electrospun textile TBJ scaffolds.
The scarcity of fresh water resources has become a serious issue hindering the sustainable development of modern civilization. The interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) system that produces heat on material surface through photothermal conversion for desalination has been demonstrated as a promising candidate for practical application. Fibrous materials with unique flexibility, durability, processability, practicability, and multifunctionality have attracted considerable attention in the ISSG field. In this review, the basics of fibrous materials, such as their classification, manufacturing methods and flexible fibrous structure, are firstly introduced. Afterward, the outstanding properties of fibrous materials on different dimensions are demonstrated, as well as the versatile morphologies and structures that allow fibrous materials to carry out different roles in ISSG. Moreover, the practicability and multifunctionality of fibrous materials are illustrated in detail by combining specific cases to show their promising potential in practical ISSG application. Finally, existing challenges and future opportunities of fibrous material-based ISSG systems are discussed.
Extremely cold environment has led to a variety of serious public health issues and posed huge burden on the social economy, which is an urgent challenge to the human worldwide. Featured with comfort, convenience, and cost-effectiveness, fibrous materials have been selected as heat insulation materials to protect the human body against the cold for centuries. The advanced ultrafine fibers, with remarkable softness, small average diameter and pore size, and high porosity, have found extensive attention, as promising candidate for application in reducing the heat loss. In this review, the heat transfer mechanisms for single fiber and fiber assembly are provided, and the typical categories of ultrafine fibrous materials for warmth retention, classified as fibrous membrane and fibrous sponge in terms of aggregate structures, are systematically summarized. In particular, this review comprehensively discusses the fabrication strategies, structure characteristics, and significant properties of various ultrafine fibrous materials. Finally, the current challenges and future development prospects of ultrafine fibrous materials for effective warmth retention are highlighted.
Living cells and active factors are the two core elements of tissue repair, directly affecting the healing efficiency of damaged tissue. Nanofat (NF) can release living cells, such as adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), as well as active growth factors to promote angiogenesis, thus realizing cell-based wound healing. Herein, a novel living electrospun short fibrous sponge is constructed by modifying three-dimensional (3D) bionic short fibers with engineered NF. The uniform distribution of the polydopamine (PDA) modification endows the living sponges with stable mechanical properties, reversible water absorption and excellent adhesion even after repeated compression by an external force and long-term aqueous immersion. Meanwhile, the living electrospun short fibrous sponges with uniform NF modification contain living cells such as ADSCs and active growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which can effectively promote the tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In vivo, the living sponges can effectively and continuously act on wounds and act as a bionic living skin to prevent the loss of internal nutrients, creating a comfortable and favorable microenvironment for tissue regeneration and promoting the healing of diabetic wounds. Therefore, living electrospun short fibrous sponges via engineered NF are expected to achieve continuous wound healing with in situ living cells and active factors in injured tissues.