Coaxial electrospinning of polycaprolactone@chitosan: Characterization and silver nanoparticles incorporation for antibacterial activity

In this work, Polycaprolactone@Chitosan (PCL@CS) coaxial nanofibers (NFs) were successfully prepared by co-electrospinning technique. Feed rate, solvent ratio 0.6 mL/h and 3:1 was optimized, respectively. Furthermore, coaxial nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC); also contact angle was checked, CS has higher hydrophilicity than PCL@CS and PCL. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized and immobilized on the coaxial nanofibers. Gram negative Escherichia coli BH5α (E. coli) and Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were tested against modified coaxial nanofibers for antibacterial activity, 13 mm inhibition zone was measured against E. coli which was higher than S. aereus.

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