Electrospinning Encapsulation of Electrolytes and Their In Vitro Transdermal Release Modeling

Abstract In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber were fabricated via uniaxial and coaxial electrospinning, incorporating sodium chloride (NaCl) and dextrose solutions as electrolyte supplements. In coaxial electrospinning of some samples, water was placed in the core, possibly leading to differences in the release kinetics of electrolytes compared to other samples. The characterization of the feed solutions was performed, and their effects on nanofiber morphology were discussed. The thermal properties, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, and in vitro release kinetics of the nanofibers were analyzed. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed that dextrose increased the crystallization temperature of PVA-based nanofibers, whereas the incorporation of water in coaxial electrospun fibers reduced the thermal stability due to phase separation. Release studies demonstrated that coaxial electrospun nanofibers exhibited increased NaCl release, whereas increased dextrose content delayed diffusion, stabilizing the polymer network. Kinetic modeling indicated that the PVA nanofibers followed anomalous transport, whereas the PCL nanofibers primarily adhered to Fickian diffusion. These findings suggest that electrospun nanofibers can serve as an alternative electrolyte delivery platform in sports and therapeutic and emergency nutrition, offering a noninvasive and controlled release system.