Fiber gun: A Portable Nanofiber Delivery System for Accelerated Wound Healing.

Abstract

Wound healing remains a critical global health challenge, particularly among diabetic patients. Conventional dressings primarily function as passive protective barriers and fail to actively stimulate tissue repair. Electrospun nanofibers, owing to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio and extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking architecture, have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing cell proliferation and enabling bioactive functionalization. However, conventional electrospinning systems are bulky, expensive, and unsuitable for field deployment. This study presents Fiber Gun, a fully integrated handheld electrospinning device engineered for in-situ wound care applications. The proposed design miniaturizes and embeds the high-voltage power supply, syringe pump, microcontroller-driven stepper motor, and battery into a single ergonomic unit compatible with standard commercial 2 mL syringes. The device operates at high electric field strengths with precisely controlled low flow rates, enabling stable and reproducible nanofiber generation. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed consistent nanofiber formation with average diameters ranging from 100 to 151 nm. The fabricated nanofiber mats exhibited uniform morphology and improved mechanical integrity as validated by tensile testing. Bioactive patches prepared using Moringa oleifera (MO)-functionalized polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) demonstrated enhanced biochemical activity, confirmed through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Total Phenolic Content (TPC), and Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) analyses. Powered by a 12 V battery, the system provides over 10 hours of continuous operation, ensuring portability and field deployability. By integrating high-voltage electrospinning into a compact, ergonomic handheld platform, this work bridges the gap between laboratory-scale electrospinning and point-of-care wound treatment, advancing the development of accessible and clinically deployable nanofiber-based wound healing technologies.