Poly (lactic acid) electrospun nanofiber membranes: Advanced characterization for biomedical applications with drug loading performance studies

Abstract

Traditional dressings have shortcomings such as poor moisture absorption and easy to adhere, making the development of new dressings crucial. In this work, a PLA/PVP crosslinked drug-loaded nanofiber membrane was prepared through electrospinning and ultraviolet crosslinking, with poly (lactic acid) (PLA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and salicylic acid (SA) as starting materials. The results demonstrated that the inclusion of PVP notably boosted the viscosity and conductivity of the blend spinning solution. The roughness of the fabricated fiber was elevated, and the diameter of the fibers was more uniform. Additionally, the incorporation of PVP not only enhanced the porosity of the fiber membrane but also effectively decreased its contact angle. Notably, when the PVP content reached 40 %, the contact angle underwent a substantial reduction, decreasing significantly from 125.4° to 82.2°. The SA drug-loaded fiber membrane exhibited a notable bacteriostatic effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with its release behavior adhering to Fick's diffusion law. In the cell viability experiment, the cell proliferation rate increased from 94 % to 129 % after 3 days. This shows that the prepared membrane has good antibacterial effect and cell compatibility, which provides a theoretical basis for the construction of a new medical dressing.