Effect of elasticity on electrospun styrene–butadiene–styrene fibrous membrane cell culture behaviors

In this study, elastic styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), non-elastic SBS and their blends at different ratios were electrospun into fibrous membranes and their cell biocompatibility was evaluated. The as-spun fibers showed an average fiber diameter of 2 µm, and the fibrous membranes had pore size of 8 ± 0.01 µm. The blending ratios of the elastic with non-elastic SBSs showed little effect on fibrous structure, but affected the mechanical properties. All SBS membrane showed no cytotoxicity on endothelial cells (ECs). ECs attached and proliferated on all the SBS fibrous membrane scaffolds regardless of their elasticity. ECs maintained their polygonal shape on the scaffolds and they tended to orient along the fiber length. The SBS fibrous samples with elastic:non-elastic SBS weight ratios of 1:1 and 2:3 showed better cell viability than that of elastic and non-elastic SBS.