Development of Zeolite‐Loaded Air‐Brushed Nanofibers for Oral Use and Its Characterization

Abstract

AbstractZeolites are commercially available and naturally occurring minerals and synthetic materials, they are crystalline aluminosilicates with distinctive chemical and structural properties. Zeolites have a wide range of uses, including catalysis, gas separation, agronomy, animal feed additives, ecology, medicine, and cosmetics. The antibacterial activity of zeolite‐based nanofibers is fabricated and investigated in the current work utilizing a novel airbrushing method. Airbrushing is used to create zeolite‐loaded nanofibers with two groups of 5% and 10% zeolite, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Attenuation of Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR‐FT‐IR), contact angle measurement and an antibacterial test against Streptococcus mutans are used to characterize the fabricated zeolite‐loaded nanofibers. The SEM pictures demonstrate that the innovative strategy used in the study—air brushing—to effectively produce zeolite‐loaded nanofibers is a success. The morphology and diameter in nanometers is verified by SEM images for both groups. The ATR‐FT‐IR peaks confirm the blended compound and its chemical structure. The water contact angle measurement of the nanofibers of both groups show the hydrophobic qualities based on wettability. The findings of the zeolite nanofiber antibacterial test show a zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 19 mm compared to a positive control groups ZOI of 28 mm, indicating superior antibacterial activity against gram‐positive S. mutans. Based on the findings, it can be stated that zeolite nanofiber can be created by airbrushing and has antibacterial properties that can be utilized to stop dental caries, where S. mutans is the primary pathogenic organism.