Modeling Diffusivity Through Alginate-Based Microfibers: A Comparison of Numerical And Analytical Models Based On Empirical Spectrophotometric Data
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2013
Publisher
Lifescience Global
Abstract
The study of mass transport across hollow and solid 3D microfibers to study metabolic profiles is a key aspect of tissue engineering approach. A new modified numerical mathematical model based on Fickian equations in cylindrical coordinates has been proposed for determining the membrane diffusivity of 2% (w/v) alginate-based stents cross-linked with 10% CaCl2. Based on the economical and direct spectrophotometric measurements, using this model, inward diffusivities ranging from 5.2x10-14 m2/s 2.93x10-12m2/s were computed for solutes with Stokes radii ranging between 0.36 to 3.5 nm, diffusing through bare alginate and alginate-chitosan-alginate microfibers. In parallel an analytical solution to the cylindrical Fickian equation was derived to validate the numerical solution using experimental diffusion data from a solid stent. Excellent agreement was found between the numerical and analytical models with a maximum calculated residual value of 4%. Using these models, a flexible computational platform is proposed to conduct custom diffusion and MW cut-off characterization across micro-porous microfibers not limited to alginate in composition.
Recommended Citation
Djomehri, S., Mobed-Miremadi, M., & Keralapura, M. (2013). Modeling Diffusivity Through Alginate-Based Microfibers: A Comparison of Numerical and Analytical Models Based on Empirical Spectrophotometric Data. Journal of Membrane and Separation Technology, 2(1), 74-87–87.
