Characterization and Determination of the Biocompatibility of Porous Polytetrafluoroethylene Membranes Fabricated via Electrospinning

• Porous PTFE membranes are formed by electrospinning from a spinning solution containing a suspension of PTFE and PVA. • The effect of the content of a suspension of PTFE in solution on the physicochemical properties of PTFE membranes before and after heat treatment has been studied. • It was found that membranes containing 50 wt% PTFE suspension have the highest strength after heat treatment. • A hypothesis has been put forward about the plasticizing effect of PVA degradation products on PTFE particles forming membrane fibers. • High biocompatibility of PTFE membranes has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. The structure and properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymeric membranes obtained by electrospinning from a suspension of PTFE in a solution of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with subsequent thermal treatment were presented. The effect of the PTFE suspension ratio in spinning solutions on the morphology, crystal structure, chemical composition, strength, and cytotoxicity of the formed PTFE membranes was evaluated. We found that a decrease in the PTFE suspension content in spinning solutions leads to a decrease in the number of defects in the membrane fibers, which increasing the strength and elongation. Membranes made from spinning solutions with a lower content of PTFE suspension have a higher degree of crystallinity and a more perfect crystal structure. It has been suggested that the products of PVA destruction during the heat treatment of PTFE/PVA membranes are capable of plasticizing effects on PTFE particles, improving the strength of PTFE membranes. The membranes after thermal treatment were not cytotoxic regardless of the PTFE suspension content in the spinning solutions. High biocompatibility of membranes was established during implantation into soft tissues.