Electrospun Chitosan Nanofibers Research Articles

Fabrication of gallic acid containing poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan electrospun nanofibers with antioxidant and drug delivery properties.

Chitosan-based nanofibers with excellent properties are attractive materials for specific industrial applications of contemporary interest. This work aims to fabricate functional nanofibers based on poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan (CS) with an antioxidant and model drug molecule, gallic acid (GA), by electrospinning, followed by cross-linking through glutaraldehyde (PVA-CS-GAs). PVA-CS-GAs were electrospun at two different concentrations by the adjustment of the CS feeding ratio. The detailed characteristics of the as-prepared electrospun nanofibers were elucidated by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle (WCA) measurements, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA and DSC) analyses. SEM images indicated that the average fiber diameter distribution was in the range of 90-110nm. The results show that morphology, mean diameter, wettability, and thermal characteristics of the composite nanofibers were affected by the CS feeding ratio. Although the increase in the amount of polar -OH groups with the addition of GA caused an improvement in the hydrophilicity and thermal stability of the electrospun nanofibers, it also caused a decrease in the thermal transition temperatures. Furthermore, antioxidant tests based on DPPH radical scavenging ability and in vitro release studies demonstrated that the cross-linked PVA-CS-GA composite nanofibers have good antioxidant activity and a pH-dependent drug release rate, indicating their potential for implementation in wound healing and drug delivery applications.

Enhancing Electrospinnability of Chitosan Membranes in Low-Humidity Environments by Sodium Chloride Addition.

The electrospinning of pure chitosan nanofibers is highly sensitive to environmental humidity, which limits their production consistency and applicability. This study investigates the addition of sodium chloride (NaCl) to chitosan solutions to enhance spinnability and mitigate the effigurefects of low humidity. NaCl was incorporated into the electrospun chitosan solution, leading to increased conductivity and decreased viscosity. These modifications improved the electrospinning process. Comparative analyses between chitosan membranes (CM) and sodium-chloride-added chitosan membranes (SCM) revealed no significant differences in chemical structure, mechanical strength, or in vitro cell proliferation. This indicates that the addition of 1% (w/v) NaCl does not adversely affect the fundamental properties of the chitosan membranes. The findings demonstrate that NaCl addition is a viable strategy for producing electrospun chitosan nanofibers in low-humidity environments, maintaining their physicochemical properties while enhancing spinnability.

Anthocyanin-loaded polylactic acid/quaternized chitosan electrospun nanofiber as an intelligent and active packaging film in blueberry preservation

A polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun nanofiber film loaded with hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC) and anthocyanin (ACN) was used to monitor blueberry freshness and shelf life extension. The effect of ACN (2–10%) addition on the properties of PLA/HACC-based films was analyzed. The results showed that the addition of 6% ACN improved the compatibility, thermal stability (ΔHm: melting enthalpy, 44.41–45.02 J g−1), water barrier (0–31.82°), antibacterial and antioxidant properties of PLA/HACC-based film, and the surface of the film showed a smooth and porous fiber structure (approximately 307.43 nm). However, the stiffness (58.41–26.87 MPa) and gas barrier properties (0.16–0.19 g mm/m2 h kPa) of the film were reduced. In addition, 6% ACN/PLA/HACC film possessed significant color and response performance in buffer solution of pH 3–11. In the storage experiment, the 6% ACN/PLA/HACC film was initially white but changed from pinkish purple to light pink with increase of blueberry storage time. Meanwhile, the postharvest decay rate of blueberries in the 6% ACN/PLA/HACC packaging group was reduced from 70% to 23%, and the storage weight loss rate was reduced from 1.66% to 1.26% compared with the control group. These results indicated that the prepared intelligent and active food packaging materials have great potential for application in extending the shelf life of blueberries.

Characterization of Electrospinning Chitosan Nanofibers Used for Wound Dressing.

Wound dressings play a crucial role in promoting wound healing by providing a protective barrier against infections and facilitating tissue regeneration. Electrospun nanofibers have emerged as promising materials for wound dressing applications due to their high surface area, porosity, and resemblance to the extracellular matrix. In this study, chitosan, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, was electrospun into nanofibers for potential use in wound dressing. The chitosan nanofibers were characterized by using various analytical techniques to assess their morphology and biocompatibility. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the formation of uniform and bead-free nanofibers with diameters ranging from tens to hundreds of nanometers. Structural analysis, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD), elucidated the chemical composition and crystalline structure of the nanofibers. Furthermore, in vitro studies evaluated the cytocompatibility of the chitosan nanofibers with human dermal fibroblasts, demonstrating cell viability and proliferation on the nanofibers. Additionally, antibacterial properties were assessed to evaluate the potential of chitosan nanofibers in preventing wound infections. Overall, the characterization results highlight the promising attributes of electrospun chitosan nanofibers as wound dressings, paving the way for further investigation and development in the field of advanced wound care. This study has been carried out for the first time in our region and has assessed the antibacterial properties of electrospun chitosan nanofiber material. The created mat has shown efficaciousness against bacteria that are both gram-positive and gram-negative.

Investigating alginate and chitosan electrospun nanofibers as a potential wound dressing: an in vitro study

The research project focuses on conducting an in vitro comparison between sodium alginate and chitosan electrospun nanofibers for moist wound management. These fabricated nanofibers were incorporated with levofloxacin (Lev) as a model drug to investigate their release behavior. The study included a comprehensive examination of the physicochemical, thermal, antibacterial, and cytocompatibility properties of these nanofibers. Both sodium alginate (SA-L) and chitosan (CS-L) nanofibers were successfully produced with a homogeneous and defect-free structure. XRD and FTIR analyses were conducted to validate the incorporation of Lev in the nanofibers. In terms of liquid absorption capacity, it was observed that sodium alginate nanofibers outperformed chitosan nanofibers, exhibiting absorption capacities of 5.9, 5.88, and 7.1 g/g for PBS, solution A, and DI, respectively, for SA-L, compared to 5.27, 4.42, and 5.3 g/g for CS-L nanofibers. This superior absorption ability in SA-L nanofibers may be attributed to the inherent gel-forming properties of alginate in aqueous environments. Furthermore, the release kinetics indicated that SA-L nanofibers exhibited faster drug release compared to CS-L nanofibers, which could be attributed to alginate’s natural gel-forming tendency in aqueous mediums. Both SA-L and CS-L nanofibers demonstrated remarkable efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), with CS-L nanofibers displaying larger inhibition zones in agar diffusion tests due to chitosan’s inherent antibacterial properties. Moreover, cytocompatibility assessments using the HaCat cell line revealed that the prepared nanofibers were biocompatible and non-toxic. Interestingly, CS-L nanofibers exhibited superior cell proliferation when compared to SA-L nanofibers, potentially attributed to the inherent positively charged amine groups which enhance proliferation and migration of negatively charged keratinocytes.

A systematic investigation of solution and technological parameters for the fabrication and characterization of poly (vinyl alcohol–chitosan electrospun nanofibers

AbstractNanomaterials, particularly nanofibers are demonstrating exceptional potential for medical applications considered as promising systems for the integration of drug molecules, providing an enhancement of drug effectiveness and safety, while reducing drug side effects. Nanofibers based on two polymeric matrices poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chitosan (CS) have been demonstrated to be safe and promising materials for the drug integration and targeted drug delivery. This article studied the factors influencing on the fabrication and properties of PVA–CS nanofibers, including the impact of solution components on solution structure, rheological properties, electrospinning technology parameters, as well as the structure and thermomechanical properties of the obtained nanofibers have been investigated in details. The increasing of acetic acid concentration has the effect of pH lowering as well as electrical conductivity while heightening its viscosity. The pH, conductivity, and viscosity values of the solution rises as the CS concentration increases. Based on the Hildebrand‐Scatchard solubility theory, calculated Teas diagrams that account intermolecular interactions allow to predict low‐defect nanofibers based on PVA–CS in binary solvent systems with a greater concentration of hydrogen bonds. The optimal solution content and electrospinning parameters were determined. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the two polymer materials have a good interaction and the acetic acid was completely separated from the PVA–CS nanofibers. The XRD spectrum reveals that the crystal lattice parameters of the nanofibers change according to the polymer ratio. The polymers ratio also influence on the thermal and tensile properties. Such biosafe polymer materials may be considered as the promising drug delivery systems with the targeted mode of action.

Bibliometric Analysis of the Use of Electrospun Chitosan Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications

Bibliometric Analysis of the Use of Electrospun Chitosan Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications

Zingiber officinale and thymus vulgaris extracts co-loaded polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan electrospun nanofibers for tackling infection and wound healing promotion

Infections are severe complications associated with chronic wounds and tardy healing that should be timely treated to achieve rapid and proper tissue repair. To hinder such difficulties, a nanofibrous mat composed of polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan (PVA/CS) was developed by electrospinning method, containing thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) extracts. The mat containing 10 wt% of the extracts (at the ratio of 50:50) exposed the nanofibers (NFs) with the nanoscale diameter (average 382 ± 60 nm), smooth surface, and defect-free morphology. Likewise, the relevant analyses of the loaded mat displayed high wettability, porosity, and liquid absorption capacity without any adverse interaction. The obtained mat also provided a high antioxidant activity, and its release profile was continuous and sustained for nearly 72 h. Besides, it inhibited the growth of both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli strains. Furthermore, the proposed mat significantly accelerated cutaneous wound healing in bacterial-infected rats by preventing bacteria growth at the wound site. At last, histopathology analysis confirmed the ample regeneration of skin structures, forming collagen fibers and appendages. Overall, the proposed mat containing ginger-thyme extracts provides multiple therapeutic capabilities with promising solutions for inhibiting wound infection and accelerating the healing process.

Recent Advancements in Electrospun Chitin and Chitosan Nanofibers for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Treatment of large segmental bone loss caused by fractures, osteomyelitis, and non-union results in expenses of around USD 300,000 per case. Moreover, the worst-case scenario results in amputation in 10% to 14.5% of cases. Biomaterials, cells, and regulatory elements are employed in bone tissue engineering (BTE) to create biosynthetic bone grafts with effective functionalization that can aid in the restoration of such fractured bones, preventing amputation and alleviating expenses. Chitin (CT) and chitosan (CS) are two of the most prevalent natural biopolymers utilized in the fields of biomaterials and BTE. To offer the structural and biochemical cues for augmenting bone formation, CT and CS can be employed alone or in combination with other biomaterials in the form of nanofibers (NFs). When compared with several fabrication methods available to produce scaffolds, electrospinning is regarded as superior since it enables the development of nanostructured scaffolds utilizing biopolymers. Electrospun nanofibers (ENFs) offer unique characteristics, including morphological resemblance to the extracellular matrix, high surface-area-to-volume ratio, permeability, porosity, and stability. This review elaborates on the recent strategies employed utilizing CT and CS ENFs and their biocomposites in BTE. We also summarize their implementation in supporting and delivering an osteogenic response to treat critical bone defects and their perspectives on rejuvenation. The CT- and CS-based ENF composite biomaterials show promise as potential constructions for bone tissue creation.

Chitosan electrospun nanofibers derived from Periplaneta americana residue for promoting infected wound healing

Periplaneta americana has been used medicinally for years to treat a wide variety of skin lesions or ulcers. However, a sizable portion of the drug residues that are retained after extraction are routinely thrown away, thus posing a hazard to the environment and depleting resources. In this study, low molecular weight Periplaneta americana chitosan (LPCS) and high molecular weight Periplaneta americana chitosan (HPCS) were extracted from Periplaneta americana residue (PAR) based on the conventional acid-base method and two deacetylation methods. Moreover, the physicochemical properties and structural differences between the above two chitosan and commercial chitosan (CS) were compared using different methods. Next, two nanofibers comprising different ratios of Periplaneta americana chitosan (LPCS or HPCS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyethylene oxide (PEO) were prepared and optimized. The above nanofibers exhibited excellent mechanical properties, antibacterial properties, and biocompatibility while facilitating wound healing in an infected rat whole-layer wound model by promoting wound closure, epithelialization, collagen deposition, and inflammation reduction. In brief, this study produced an effective and affordable wound dressing and offered a suggestion for the comprehensive utilization of Periplaneta americana residue.

Electrospun chitosan nanofiber constructing superhigh-water-flux forward osmosis membrane

Forward osmosis (FO) technology exhibits great potential in seawater desalination and wastewater treatment due to its negligible energy consumption and high antifouling, however, the weak desalination capability, especially low water flux, remains challenging. Herein, a cost-effective and high-desalination-performance chitosan (CS)-based FO membrane is developed via coupling the electrospinning CS nanofibers and interfacial-polymerized polyamide (PA). The electrospun nanofibers construct the porous and hydrophilic CS layer with the large pore-diameter of ~274 nm and low thickness of ~10 μm, enabling the effective transport of water molecules, specifically, a superhigh water flux of 107.53 LMH at a low salt-water ratio of 0.24 g·L−1. In addition, such superior desalination performance of the as-prepared FO membrane is universal for the various salt species and concentrations. Our CS nanofiber-based membrane with the high separation capability of water-salt, desirable antibacterial activity, as well as the low cost, offers a roadmap toward the sustainable membrane materials.

Production of chitosan nanofibers using the HFIP/acetic acid mixture as electrospinning solvent

Chitosan nanofiber mats are of interest for biotechnological purposes owing to its physical and chemical properties, nonetheless, the production of pristine chitosan nanofibrous mats is challenging due to some of these traits restrict its solubility in most common solvents, thus limiting its electrospun processability. This work presents the production of pristine chitosan electrospun nanofibers using the 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoro-2-propanol/acetic acid binary mixture as solvent. This binary solvent improves pristine chitosan spinnability and facilitates the one-step fabrication of highly stable nanofiber mats insoluble in water and aqueous media without the need for crosslinking and neutralization, which implies no need for further washing steps, no waste production, less energy consumption, reagents saving and a significant impact on reducing total processing time compared with previously reported methodologies. Moreover, the aqueous adsorption capacity of methyl orange is improved by the microarchitecture of chitosan as-spun nanofibers produced in this work compared with chitosan powder and film, confirming an essential role of the microstructure and highlighting its potential as bioadsorbent for dye removal.

Effects of wound dressing based on the combination of silver@curcumin nanoparticles and electrospun chitosan nanofibers on wound healing

ABSTRACT Healing of various skin wounds is a lengthy process and often combined with bacterial infection and scar formation. Biomimetic electrospun nanofibrous wound dressing loaded with materials that possess properties of dual antibacterial and tissue repair would be developed to address this problem. In this study, a composite chitosan electrospun nanofibrous material containing Cur@β-CD/AgNPs nanoparticles composed of silver and curcumin possessed synergic effects on antibacterial activity and wound healing. The developed functionalized silver nanoparticles showed effective activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In vivo, Cur@β-CD/AgNPs chitosan dressing displayed enhanced wound closure rates compared to commercial AquacelAg. Moreover, Cur@β-CD/AgNPs chitosan dressing contributed to the most uniform collagen distribution by Masson’s trichrome staining. In brief, Cur@β-CD/AgNPs chitosan nanofibers work as a potential wound dressing with antibacterial and antiscarring properties.

Electrospinning of Chitosan for Antibacterial Applications—Current Trends

Chitosan is a natural biopolymer that can be suitable for a wide range of applications due to its biocompatibility, rigid structure, and biodegradability. Moreover, it has been proven to have an antibacterial effect against several bacteria strains by incorporating the advantages of the electrospinning technique, with which tailored nanofibrous scaffolds can be produced. A literature search is conducted in this review regarding the antibacterial effectiveness of chitosan-based nanofibers in the filtration, biomedicine, and food protection industries. The results are promising in terms of research into sustainable materials. This review focuses on the electrospinning of chitosan for antibacterial applications and shows current trends in this field. In addition, various aspects such as the parameters affecting the antibacterial properties of chitosan are presented, and the application areas of electrospun chitosan nanofibers in the fields of air and water filtration, food storage, wound treatment, and tissue engineering are discussed in more detail.

Chondrocyte cell adhesion on chitosan supports using single-cell atomic force microscopy

In this work, functional scaffolds based on electrospun chitosan nanofibers are unprecedentedly studied in terms of their force cell adhesion response. To prove cell compatibility of this biomaterial, chondrocyte interactions are investigated using atomic force microscopy in which a single cell is fixed to the cantilever and approached to the chitosan mat for a given contact time. Then, the cantilever is retracted and cell interactions are studied. Force jumps distribution for cell detachment is described and the adhesion energy is determined comparing nanofiber mats with homogeneous films and a BSA coated surface as control. Force adhesion on chitosan films, equals 460 ± 150 pN, is found slightly higher than on porous fiber mats (410 ± 135 pN) indicating that more cell-substrate bonds could be formed on a flat contact surface for a contact time of 60 s. The same trend was observed for a contact of 120 s between the cell and the substrate. The adhesion on hydrophilic chitosan surface at t = 60 s, is much larger than on the control surface (210 ± 90 pN) due to its positive character and ability for H-bond stabilization.

Polydopamine treatment of chitosan nanofibers for the conception of osteoinductive scaffolds for bone reconstruction

We report the influence of treatment time of electrospun chitosan nanofibers (CHT NFs) in dopamine hydrochloride bath (2 mg.mL−1 in 10 mM Tris buffer, pH 8.5) on the extent of the polydopamine (pDA) coating on NFs surface. The reaction was characterized by FTIR and SEM analysis and the cytocompatibility of the scaffolds toward MT3C3-E1 cells was assessed. Biomimetic deposition of hydroxyapatite (HA) in 1.5xSBF batch was investigated by SEM-EDS and XRD. Samples treated in dopamine bath during 2 h promoted the structural stability of NFs in PBS, provided optimal cytocompatibility and induced the in vitro biomineralization from 6 days in 1.5xSBF. The XRD and SEM-EDS investigations confirmed formation of spherical-shaped particles composed of apatitic phase. Finally, this study shows that these NFs-pDA scaffolds prepared in the optimal experimental conditions defined here are promising candidates for application as osteoinductive scaffolds for bone regeneration applied to orthopedic and dental applications.

Preparation and characterization of salicylic acid grafted chitosan electrospun fibers

Chitosan (chi) and its modified forms as electrospun nanofibers have potential applications in advanced water treatment and biomedicine. Polyethylene oxide (PEO) is an additive commonly used to facilitate the formation of chitosan electrospun fibers because PEO (Mw ≥ 400 kDa) affords chain entanglement that stabilize the electrospinning jet, leading to enhanced formation of chi-based electrospun fibers. Herein, we report on the preparation of chitosan grafted with salicylic acid and its utility to afford improved electrospun fibers with low molecular weight (LMw) PEO (Mw » 100 kDa). A comparison of the interactions between original and grafted chitosan with PEO reveals that stable supramolecular assemblies are established between grafted chitosan and PEO, which provides support that such supramolecular interactions favor formation of chitosan electrospun fibers. Moreover, a porous chitosan electrospun nanofiber was prepared through physical treatment that reveals notably higher (ca. 4-fold) dye uptake than the pristine (unmodified) chitosan electrospun nanofibers.

Cephradine drug release using electrospun chitosan nanofibers incorporated with halloysite nanoclay

Abstract The chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/halloysite nanoclay (CS/PVA/HNC) loaded with cephradine drug electrospun nanofibers (NFs) were fabricated and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. FTIR analysis confirmed the hydrogen bonding between the polymer chain and the developed siloxane linkages. SEM analysis revealed the formation of uniform NFs having beads free and smooth surface with an average diameter in 50–200 nm range. The thermal stability of the NFs was increased by increasing the HNC concentration. The antimicrobial activity was examined against Escherichia coli and staphylococcus strains and the NFs revealed auspicious antimicrobial potential. The drug release was studied at pH 7.4 (in PBS) at 37 °C. The drug release analysis showed that 90% of the drug was released from NFs in 2 h and 40 min. Hence, the prepared NFs could be used as a potential drug carrier and release in a control manner for biomedical application.

Use of Electrospun Chitosan Nanofibers as Nanocarriers of Artemisia sieberi Extract: Evaluation of Properties and Antimicrobial effects

Use of Electrospun Chitosan Nanofibers as Nanocarriers of Artemisia sieberi Extract: Evaluation of Properties and Antimicrobial effects

Prussian blue and collagen loaded chitosan nanofibers with NIR-controlled NO release and photothermal activities for wound healing

1 Prussian blue and collagen loaded chitosan electrospun nanofibers were fabricated. 2 The chitosan nanofibers possess NIR controlled NO release and PTT activities. 3 The nanofibers displayed synergetic antibacterial against E. coli and S. aureus . 4 The nanofibers promoted collagen deposition, cell growth, and epithelialization. 5 The nanofibers provide sufficient biosafety for wound healing. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a potential wound therapeutic agent due to its pivotal role in the wound healing processes. Nevertheless, NO-based therapy for clinical applications is still restricted due to its gaseous state and short half-life. Here we exploited a wound dressing by incorporating sodium nitroprusside doped prussian blue nanoparticals and Type I collagen into the chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers through the electrospinning method. This hybrid nanofibrous scaffold possess the excellent abilities of NIR controlled NO release, photothermal therapy, and imitation of extra-cellular matrix-like architecture. These synergistic effects could enhance their anti-bactericidal effects in vitro and furthermore accelerate wound healing in vivo when compared to control groups. Histological analysis demonstrated the scaffold could promote fibroblast growth and accelerate epithelialization. Moreover, no apparent histological toxicology and negligible damage to major organs were observed, which provided sufficient biosafety for in vivo application. These data indicate the fabricated hybrid nanofibrous scaffold could be used as an ideal candidate for accelerating wound healing and treating chronic wounds.