Stachewicz, Urszula
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inżynieria materiałowa
inżynieria biomedyczna
inżynieria biomedyczna
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Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Thermally insulating mats based on electrospun fibers with bioinspired nano-groove surface structure(2025) Ura, Daniel Paweł; Szewczyk, Piotr K.; Parisi, Gregory; Osak, Andrzej; Puzio, Bartosz; Wrona, Jan; Kim, Il-Doo; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejHeating and heat retention in buildings account for over 50 % of total energy costs, emphasizing the urgent need not only for advanced thermal insulation materials but also for nature-inspired design strategies to enhance energy efficiency and address the global energy crisis. In this study, we present a one-step fabrication method that improves both thermal insulation efficiency and the mechanical performance of polymer fiber mats. By leveraging bioinspired design, we successfully fabricate nanogroove fibers by precisely controlling humidity during in-situ electrospinning. This approach mimics the nanogroove topography of Old Man Cactus hair, enabling a simple yet effective method to regulate the nanoscale morphology of fibers. The resulting nanogroove fibers exhibit a substantial ~10 % reduction in surface temperature compared to conventional insulation coatings when applied to hot water pipes. Remarkably, our nanogroove fibrous coatings achieve 25 % higher energy savings per unit area and approximately 29 times higher per gram of material mass than commercial rubber insulation materials. This study highlights the critical role of nanoscale surface morphology engineering, particularly in the facile fabrication of nanogroove structures, in mitigating energy and heat loss during thermal transport processes. Based on the unique advantages of humidity-controlled polymer fiber architectures, this approach enables the development of flexible, high-performance thermal insulation materials, opening new avenues for versatile applications across various fields.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Modulating Surface Properties and Osteoblast Responses in Bone Regeneration via Positive and Negative Charges during Electrospinning of Poly(L‑lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) Scaffolds(2026) Marszalik, Katarzyna; Polak, Martyna; Berniak, Krzysztof; Knapczyk-Korczak, Joanna; Szewczyk, Piotr K.; Marzec, Mateusz M.; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe global demand for faster and more effective bone regeneration calls for biomimetic scaffolds that actively guide cell behavior beyond providing structural support. Electrospinning offers unique opportunities to tailor scaffold properties, yet the influence of positive and negative voltage polarities during fabrication on cell−material interactions remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) scaffolds, a statistical copolymer combining strength and elasticity, produced under positive (PLCL+) and negative (PLCL−) polarity. Both scaffold types display comparable morphologies and bulk chemistry. However, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals charge dependent surface chemistry, with PLCL− enriched in O C and O−C groups. Zeta potential results highlight pronounced voltage polarity effects under aqueous conditions at pH 7.5, showing −29.19 mV for PLCL+ and −34.77 mV for PLCL−. Biologically, both scaffolds support rapid osteoblast attachment, with robust filopodia and collagen type I deposition by day 14. Strikingly, PLCL+ scaffolds promote deeper cellular infiltration and broader cytoskeletal distribution, whereas PLCL− scaffolds enhance proliferation, but with a flatter cell morphology. These findings reveal that subtle, charge-driven surface chemical differences in random copolymer scaffolds profoundly modulate osteoblast behavior. This work identifies electrospinning voltage polarity as a powerful yet underutilized design parameter for engineering next-generation scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Direct electrospinning of short polymer fibers: factors affecting size and quality(2024) Ura, Daniel Paweł; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe growing demand for lightweight and robust materials drives the development of polymer-based and fiber-reinforced composites. Here, using short fibers offers several advantages; however, currently employed methods for producing short fibers, such as homogenization, result in a wide dispersion of dimensions in the produced fibers, which is an undesirable effect in composite materials. In this study, electrospinning is used to produce polymer short fibers directly. This research highlights, for the first time, the differences in the electrospinning process dynamics between short and continuous fibers. By adjusting parameters: voltage and distance, we control dimensions of short fibers below 1 µm in diameter and around 4 µm in length to a few microns in diameter and approximately 14 µm in length. Direct electrospinning of short fibers offers significant advantages, including a narrow size distribution and reproducibility compared to chopped continuous fibers with homogenization.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Modulating cell adhesion and infiltration in advanced scaffold designs based on PLLA fibers with rGO and MXene (Ti3C2Tx)(2025) Polak, Martyna; Berniak, Krzysztof; Szewczyk, Piotr K.; Knapczyk-Korczak, Joanna; Marzec, Mateusz M.; Purbayanto, Muhammad Abiyyu Kenichi; Jastrzębska, Agnieszka M.; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe development of electrospun scaffolds that support cell adhesion and infiltration remains a critical challenge in tissue engineering. In this study, we investigate the influence of two-dimensional (2D) fillers—reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and MXene (Ti3C2Tx)—incorporated into poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) electrospun fibers on their properties and osteoblast responses. The presence of fillers modified fiber arrangement and created varying inter-fiber spacing due to surface charge repulsion and agglomeration. Importantly, surface potential measurements via Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) of PLLA fibers show a significant shift caused by the incorporation of Ti3C2Tx to ∼400 mV compared to ∼50 mV for rGO. In vitro tests indicate that rGO-modified scaffolds support osteoblast infiltration up to ∼100 μm, unlike PLLA fibers, which limit cell infiltration to a maximum of ∼70 μm. However, Ti3C2Tx promotes even deeper (∼120 μm) and more uniform cell's infiltration due to changes in scaffold architecture. High-resolution confocal imaging confirmed that PLLA-Ti3C2Tx fosters larger, elongated adhesion site clusters of cells, whereas rGO increases cell's adhesion site density in relation to PLLA scaffolds without any filler. Our findings highlight the distinct roles of rGO and Ti3C2Tx in modulating scaffold geometry, mechanical behavior, and cellular interactions. Tailoring the composition and distribution of conductive fillers in fibers offers a promising strategy for optimizing scaffold performance in tissue engineering applications.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Interfacial blending in co-axially electrospun polymer core-shell fibers and their interaction with cells via focal adhesion point analysis(2024) Polak, Martyna; Ura, Daniel Paweł; Berniak, Krzysztof; Szewczyk, Piotr K.; Marzec, Mateusz M.; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejElectrospun polymer scaffolds have gained prominence in biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, and wound dressings, due to their customizable properties. As the interplay between cells and materials assumes fundamental significance in biomaterials research, understanding the relationship between fiber properties and cell behaviour is imperative. Nevertheless, altering fiber properties introduces complexity by intertwining mechanical and surface chemistry effects, challenging the differentiation of their individual impacts on cell behaviour. Core-shell fibers present an appealing solution, enabling the control of mechanical properties of scaffolds, flexibility in material and drug selection, efficient encapsulation, strong protection of bioactive drugs against harsh environments, and controlled, prolonged drug release. This study addresses a key challenge in core-shell fiber design related to the blending effect between core and shell polymers. Two types of fibers, PMMA and core-shell PC-PMMA, were electrospun, and thorough analyses confirmed the desired core-shell structure in PC-PMMA fibers. Surface chemistry analysis revealed PC diffusion to the PMMA shell of the core-shell fiber during electrospinning, subsequently prompting an investigation of the fiber’s surface potential. Conducting cellular studies on osteoblasts by super-resolution confocal microscopy provided insights into the direct influence of interfacial polymer blending and, consequently, altered fiber surface and mechanical properties on cell focal adhesion points, bridging the gap between material attributes and cell responses in core-shell fibers.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Steering triboelectric and mechanical properties of polymer fibers with carbon black(2023) Szewczyk, Piotr K.; Taşlı, Ali Emre; Knapczyk-Korczak, Joanna; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe development of wearable electronics has spurred an increased interest in self-powered systems and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). To enhance the output performance of TENGs, researchers have dedicated significant efforts toward finding effective ways to increase triboelectric and mechanical performance. This study examined how conductive carbon black (CB) affects the mechanical and triboelectric properties of electrospun fibers made of polyurethane (PU), polystyrene (PS), and polycarbonate (PC). The addition of CB affected their mechanical properties, including increased tensile strength and decreased elongation at break. Importantly, triboelectric testing revealed that incorporating CB decreased the triboelectric output of PU and PS by over 90%, while it increased the output of PC by 260%. These findings indicate that CB's effects on triboelectric properties depend on the material and its content, underscoring the importance of selecting CB content carefully for optimal mechanical and triboelectric performance in electrospun fibers and composites. This research validates the development of advanced composite materials for electrostatic discharge protection and energy harvesting applications.Item type:Presentation, Access status: Open Access , From skin patches to scaffolds with controlled electrical environment for cell growth: engineering surface properties of electrospun fibers(2024) Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejItem type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Controlled therapeutic cholesterol delivery to cells for the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes(2024) Moradi, Ahmadreza; Lichawska-Cieslar, Agata; Szukala, Weronika; Jura, Jolanta; Berniak, Krzysztof; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe challenge of enhancing wound healing and skin regeneration, particularly in conditions like burns and diabetic wounds, necessitates innovative solutions. Cholesterol, often associated with cardiovascular diseases, plays vital roles in cellular functions, maintaining skin integrity and preserving the skin barrier. Here, we explore cholesterol's significance, its influence on keratinocytes, and its potential application in skin regeneration. The study utilizes electrospun polyimide (PI) fibers as a cholesterol carrier model and investigates its impact on HaCaT keratinocytes, marking the first time tracked cholesterol delivery from the scaffold into cells. We demonstrate that an optimal concentration of 0.7 mM cholesterol in the medium enhances cell proliferation, while higher concentrations have negative effects. Cholesterol-enriched scaffolds significantly increase cell proliferation and replicative activity, especially in a 3D culture environment. Moreover, cholesterol influences keratinocyte differentiation, promoting early differentiation while inhibiting late differentiation. These findings suggest that cholesterol-loaded scaffolds can have applications in wound healing by promoting cell growth, regulating differentiation, and potentially accelerating wound closure. Further research in this area will lead to innovative wound management and tissue regeneration strategies.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Wettability gradient of photoresponsive electrospun yarns for harp-based fog water harvesting(2024) Parisi, Gregory; Szewczyk, Piotr K.; Narayan, Shankar; Stachewicz, Urszula
WIMiIPFog water harvesting offers a solution to water scarcity. Here, we introduce a method to enhance fog water harvesting systems utilizing electrospun yarns featuring a wettability gradient. These yarns, made from polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and titanium dioxide (TiO2), gain photoinduced hydrophilicity under UV light due to TiO2 photocatalytic properties, allowing dynamic shifts from hydrophobic to hydrophilic states. Experiments show that an alternating PVDF-TiO2 harp with a wettability gradient surpasses purely hydrophobic or hydrophilic versions in fog collection. The strategic mix of hydrophobic and hydrophilic sections enhances droplet movement and water capture, achieving a 16% increase in collection rate up to 400 mg cm−2 h−1. This approach introduces a novel method for creating wettability gradients in electrospun yarns via UV irradiation and represents a significant advancement in adaptable fog water harvesting systems.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Advancements in ZnO-based photocatalysts for effective rhodamine dye removal from water(2024) Das, Madhurima; Ghatak, Avishek; Ray, Preetam Guha; Stachewicz, Urszula
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe escalating growth of industries, population, and urban culture has exacerbated the global challenge of contaminated water due to hazardous organic dyes. One such noxious dye, rhodamine, poses a significant threat to human health and has consequently prompted extensive research into its removal from wastewater. Nanostructured ZnO emerges as a promising photocatalyst for tackling such hazardous colorants, owing to its exceptional performance and heightened surface reactivity. This review article comprehensively examines the photocatalytic removal of rhodamine dye by various ZnO nanomaterial-based catalysts over the past few decades. The primary objective is to investigate the impact of different synthesis techniques and modifications of ZnO, including doping with metal ions, carbon, and sulfur, or the creation of composites with various low-dimensional carbon materials, metal oxides, metal sulfides, and polymers. These strategies have been explored to enhance the efficacy of rhodamine dye remediation from wastewater by harnessing the improved photocatalytic performance of ZnO nanomaterials. The review delves into recent literature reports, highlighting observed results and key findings addressing critical challenges and outlines prospects for ZnO-based photocatalysts in rhodamine dye remediation. It becomes evident that evolving synthesis methods and optimizing the heterojunction of ZnO photocatalysts are essential for advancing the efficacy of rhodamine dye removal and contributing to the creation of a cleaner and greener environment.