ZEISS Microscopy

Characterize the 3D Microstructure of Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

With X-ray Microscopy

Download the White Paper

Characterize the 3D Microstructure of Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

With X-ray Microscopy

Download the White Paper

Analyzing porosity, pore size & morphology

Of electrospun gelatin fibers

The Use Case: Regeneration of damaged tissue via nanofibrous scaffolds requires designing an extracellular matrix-like scaffold with high surface area to volume ratio as well as high porosity for promoting homogeneous cell attachment and proliferation throughout the scaffold. Characterizing these sample features is indispensable for the design and fabrication of tailored scaffold materials.

The Challenge: 3D characterization of the porous structure of the cross-linked gelatin scaffolds using X-ray microscopy is a challenge, because the gelatin nanofibers are composed of elements with low atomic number that deliver very low X-ray absorption-contrast.

The Solution: In the white paper, ZEISS Xradia 810 Ultra was successfully applied to characterize the morphology of electrospun gelatin fibers for understanding the effect of fiber cross-linking in the gelatin mat morphology. 

The Use Case: Regeneration of damaged tissue via nanofibrous scaffolds requires designing an extracellular matrix-like scaffold with high surface area to volume ratio as well as high porosity for promoting homogeneous cell attachment and proliferation throughout the scaffold. Characterizing these sample features is indispensable for the design and fabrication of tailored scaffold materials.

The Challenge: 3D characterization of the porous structure of the cross-linked gelatin scaffolds using X-ray microscopy is a challenge, because the gelatin nanofibers are composed of elements with low atomic number that deliver very low X-ray absorption-contrast.

The Solution: In the white paper, ZEISS Xradia 810 Ultra was successfully applied to characterize the morphology of electrospun gelatin fibers for understanding the effect of fiber cross-linking in the gelatin mat morphology. 

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Courtesy: Dr. Cristine Santos de Oliveira, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg

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3D Characterization of Scaffolds

About the white paper authors & their institutions

Driving forward biomaterials research for tissue engineering

Juliana Martins de Souza e Silva, Cristine Santos de Oliveira, Ralf B. Wehrspohn | Divison for Microstructure based Materials Design – mikroMD, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

The division has its core competencies in the development of application-specific 2D and 3D micro- and nanostructured materials. It uses simulation methods to predict the properties and microstructuring processes and develops adapted mechanical, optical and electro-optical characterization methods.

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Tobias Hedtke, Christian E. H. Schmelzer | Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS

Thanks to its interdisciplinary expertise in materials and life sciences, Fraunhofer IMWS is in a position to provide industrial customers with scientific and technical advice on issues in the fields of medicine, care, and the environment. The focus here lies on materials research for dental and personal care products, the development and characterization of biomaterials for medical devices and the biofunctionalization of surfaces.

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