Nanofiber structures and methods of use thereof

1. A nanofibrous structure comprising:

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

b) a coating comprising a material with water absorbing properties.

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 nanofiber structure of a) comprises electrospun fibers.

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

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

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

11. 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.

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

13. The nanofibrous structure of claim 1 , wherein said coating is crosslinked.

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

15. The nanofibrous structure of claim 14 , wherein said therapeutic agent is a blood coagulation agent, an antimicrobial, or a growth factor.

16. 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.

17. The nanofibrous structure of claim 16 , wherein said hydrogel is crosslinked.

18. A method for the inhibiting, preventing, 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.

19. A method of synthesizing the nanofibrous structure of claim 1 .

20. A microfibrous structure comprising:

a) an expanded, microfiber structure comprising a plurality of microfibers; and

b) a coating comprising a material with water absorbing properties.

21. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein the microfiber structure of a) is expanded by exposing a microfiber structure to gas bubbles.

22. The microfibrous structure of claim 21 , wherein said gas bubbles are generated as a product of a chemical reaction.

23. The microfibrous structure of claim 22 , wherein said chemical reaction is the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride.

24. The microfibrous of claim 22 , wherein said exposure comprises immersing said microfiber structure in a liquid comprising the reagents for said chemical reaction.

25. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein said microfiber structure of a) comprises a plurality of uniaxially-aligned microfibers, random microfibers, and/or entangled microfibers.

26. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein said microfiber structure of a) comprises electrospun fibers.

27. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein said microfibers comprise hydrophobic polymers.

28. The microfibrous structure of claim 27 , wherein said hydrophobic polymer is poly(caprolactone).

29. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein said coating comprises a hydrogel.

30. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , 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.

31. The microfibrous structure of claim 30 , wherein said coating comprises gelatin.

32. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein said coating is crosslinked.

33. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , further comprising a therapeutic agent.

34. The microfibrous structure of claim 33 , wherein said therapeutic agent is a blood coagulation agent, an antimicrobial, or a growth factor.

35. The microfibrous structure of claim 20 , wherein the microfiber structure of a) is expanded by exposing a microfiber structure to gas bubbles, wherein said microfiber structure of a) comprises electrospun fibers, and wherein said coating comprises a hydrogel.

36. The microfibrous structure of claim 35 , wherein said hydrogel is crosslinked.

37. A method for the inhibiting, preventing, and/or treating bleeding and/or hemorrhaging in a subject in need thereof, said method comprising administering the microfibrous structure of claim 20 to the site of bleeding.

38. A method of synthesizing the microfibrous structure of claim 20 .