Nanofiber structures and methods of use thereof

1. A nanofibrous structure comprising:

a) an expanded, nanofiber structure comprising a plurality of electrospun nanofibers; and

b) a coating comprising a material with water absorbing properties, wherein said coating covers said expanded, nanofiber structure,

wherein said coating is crosslinked.

2. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber structure of a) is expanded by exposing a nanofiber structure to gas bubbles.

3. The nanofibrous structure of claim 2 , wherein said gas bubbles are generated as a product of a chemical reaction.

4. The nanofibrous structure of claim 3 , wherein said chemical reaction is the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride.

5. The nanofibrous of claim 3 , wherein said exposure comprises immersing said nanofiber structure in a liquid comprising the reagents for said chemical reaction.

6. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , wherein said nanofiber structure of a) comprises a plurality of uniaxially-aligned nanofibers, random nanofibers, and/or entangled nanofibers.

7. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , wherein said nanofibers comprise hydrophobic polymers.

8. The nanofibrous structure of claim 7 , wherein said hydrophobic polymer is poly(caprolactone).

9. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , wherein said coating comprises a hydrogel.

10. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , wherein said coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gelatin, chitosan, starch, pectin, cellulose, methylcellulose, sodium polyacrylate, and starch-acrylonitrile co-polymers.

11. The nanofibrous structure of claim 10 , wherein said coating comprises gelatin.

12. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , further comprising a therapeutic agent.

13. The nanofibrous structure of claim 12 , wherein said therapeutic agent is a blood coagulation agent, an antimicrobial, or a growth factor.

14. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber structure of a) is expanded by exposing a nanofiber structure to gas bubbles, wherein said nanofiber structure of a) comprises electrospun fibers, and wherein said coating comprises a hydrogel.

15. A method for inhibiting and/or treating bleeding and/or hemorrhaging in a subject in need thereof, said method comprising administering the nanofibrous structure of claim 1 to the site of bleeding.

16. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 consisting of an expanded, nanofiber structure consisting of a plurality of electrospun nanofibers; and a coating consisting of a material with water absorbing properties.

17. A nanofibrous structure comprising:

a) an expanded, nanofiber structure comprising a plurality of electrospun nanofibers; and

b) a coating comprising a material with water absorbing properties, wherein said nanofibers comprise poly(caprolactone), and wherein said coating comprises gelatin.

18. The nanofibrous structure of claim 17 , wherein said nanofibrous structure consists of an expanded, nanofiber structure consisting of a plurality of electrospun nanofibers; and a coating consisting of a material with water absorbing properties, wherein said nanofibers consist of poly(caprolactone), and wherein said coating consists of gelatin.

19. A nanofibrous structure comprising:

a) an expanded, nanofiber structure comprising a plurality of electrospun nanofibers; and

b) a coating comprising a material with water absorbing properties, wherein said coating covers said expanded, nanofiber structure and impregnates said expanded, nanofiber structure.

20. A nanofibrous structure comprising:

a) an expanded, nanofiber structure comprising a plurality of electrospun nanofibers; and

b) a coating comprising a material with water absorbing properties, wherein said coating covers at least 98% of the surface of said expanded, nanofiber structure.

21. The nanofibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein said coating covers 100% of the surface of said expanded, nanofiber structure.