Silver nanoparticles decorated, flexible SiO2 nanofibers with long-term antibacterial effect as reusable wound cover

As wound cover, electrospinning-derived organic polymer nanofibers usually cannot bear calcinations to remove contaminants from wound for regeneration of their functionality, thus are not reusable. In this investigation, we make an exploration of inorganic SiO2 nanofibers as reusable wound cover. SiO2 nanofibers here are fabricated with the sol–gel technique and the electrospinning method. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are grafted on fiber surface through post treatment to endow this material with antibacterial effect. Our results demonstrate the SiO2 nanofibers are very soft and flexible. They can be conveniently patterned into nonwoven film (the required shape of wound cover). The Ag NPs grafted SiO2 nanofibers can efficiently inhibit the proliferation of Escherichia coli with a long-term antibacterial effect. More importantly, this inorganic antibacterial wound cover can be renewed through calcinations without lost of its flexibility and antibacterial effect. Consequently, the Ag NPs grafted SiO2 nanofibers in this investigation are very suitable to be applied as reusable wound cover.

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► We proposed a new way for making silver nanoparticles decorated SiO2 nanofibers.
► SiO2 nanofibers act as matrix for stabilizing silver nanoparticles.
► Ag–SiO2 nanofibers are very stable and have long-term antibacterial effect.
► Ag–SiO2 nanofibers as reusable wound cover was studied for the first time.