Electrospinnable, Neutral Coacervates for Facile Preparation of Solid Phenolic Bioadhesives

Abstract

Liquid-liquid phase separation in an aqueous polymer solution is a unique physicochemical phenomenon, and the material present in the dense bottom layer is called a coacervate. A partial degree of water exclusion during coacervate formation often results in adhesive properties. The high viscosity makes coacervates incompatible with electrospinning processes. Coacervates can be electrospinnable only when the viscosity level of coacervates is adjusted. Electrospinning of coacervates results in a liquid-to-solid phase transition, addressing a long-term stability issue of coacervates. The preserved electrospun membranes can always be reconverted to a coacervate state by dissolution. Herein, we fabricate a spinnable coacervate solution using cosolvents. For neutral, hydrogen bond-dominated coacervates, such as those composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and phenolic tannic acid (TA), the use of a polar cosolvent system such as methanol-water results in an electrospinnable coacervate solution. The spun PVA-TA porous mats are a physicochemically stable solid, and the materials are converted back to an adhesive state upon wetting with body fluid. Considering the emerging studies related to coacervate adhesives, this study suggests that electrospinning a coacervate solution can be a strategy to dramatically increase the material stability and functionality.