Abstract

Herein we prepare antibacterial composite from carboxymethylchitosan (CMCS) nanofibers and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by using poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as reducing, capping and fiber aiding material and investigated to be used in biomedical applications. The AgNPs has spherical shapes and its diameter ranged from 15 to 25 nm and distributed within the prepared nanofibers. The electrospinning parameters from the effect of the CMCS mass ratio, extrusion rate and field were studied. The optimum condition for electrospinning were 7% for CMCS and 8% from PVA. UV-vis, TEM and XRD used to characterize AgNPs and FTIR and SEM used to characterize nanofibers. Results showed that the ultra-fine fibers could be generated after addition of PVA in different mass ratios of CMCS to PVA from 4–8 wt. % PVA (AgNPs)/CMCS solutions. Electrospun PVA (AgNPs)/CMCS nanofibers showed good antibacterial effects towards Gram (+ve) and Gram (-ve) bacteria. Antibacterial activities of electrospun nanofibers increased by increasing both CMCS and Ag nanoparticles percent in the electrospun membrane1

Key words: carboxymethylchitosan./Silver nanofibers, silver nanoparticles, antibacterial