Effect of Specific Surface Area and Hydrophobicity of Electrospun Nanofibers on the Sustained Release Performance of Diclofenac Sodium

Nanofibers produced by electrospinning are suitable options for slow-release materials. Diclofenac sodium (DS) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication with a brief half-life that can serve as an effective sustained-release agent. This paper presents a novel method for producing DS-sustained release nanofibers by electrostatic spinning processes. During the preparation, the slow-release capabilities of biodegradable materials poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) are investigated. A composite drug-carrying scaffold is prepared to enhance the sustained-release performance. The sustained release ability is affected by the specific surface area of the nanofibers and the hydrophobicity of the polymer. The findings indicate that the composite nanofiber with a PLA/PCL ratio of 1:1 demonstrates the most effective sustained-release performance. The release rate is mostly influenced by the hydrophobicity of the polymer at this point. Sustained-release kinetic simulations were performed and revealed that the release of nanofibers follows a first-order release paradigm. This work presents a straightforward approach for creating a sustained-release formulation of DS.