Evaluation of chemical and physical properties of biodegradable gum Arabic/PVA/Ag nanofibrous membranes as a potential wrapping material

There is a growing public interest in utilizing biomass and biomaterials to obtain products with high sustainability and less harm to the environment. This study reports on using electrospinning technique to produce nanofiber membranes based on homogeneous polymeric blends of gum Arabic, polyvinyl alcohol, and silver nanoparticles. The produced interconnected membranes were cross-linked via heat and plasma treatments, and the membranes were characterized for their chemical and physical characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows a cross-linking of gum Arabic and polyvinyl alcohol through esterification during the heat treatment, and through graft polymerization with methyl groups after methane plasma treatment. The mechanical performance of the membranes showed an increase in the modulus of elasticity in the longitudinal direction (parallel to electrospun nanofibers) from 85 ± 4 MPa to 148 ± 5 MPa compared with the transverse direction. Also, well-dispersed nanoparticles in the spinning solution tend to increase the elasticity from 41 ± 3 MPa to 148 ± 5 MPa, while the agglomeration of these nanoparticles decreases the mechanical properties of the nanofibers. Results of the biodegradation tests confirmed the significant biodegradable nature of the produced nanofibers, where 99.09% of the material was degraded within 28 days. Moreover, samples showed significant bactericidal activity against Micrococcus luteus with significantly less-observed bacteria in the measured plate, while the inhibition zone for Escherichia coli was 1 cm. The produced biodegradable electrospun membranes have multiple potential applications in many fields; especially for medical, antibacterial, and food packaging. This work reports the results for moisture and oxygen transfer of the membranes as a proposed application in food wrapping.

Download Full-text

Synthesis and Fabrication of Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers Based Capacitive Relative Humidity Sensor

Sir Syed Research Journal of Engineering & Technology ◽

10.33317/ssurj.303 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (01) ◽

Author(s):

Haroon Ur Rashid

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Polyvinyl Alcohol ◽

Humidity Sensor ◽

Morphological Structure ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Electrospinning Technique ◽

Thermogravimetric Analyzer ◽

Sensing Material ◽

Heat Treated ◽

Response And Recovery

Abstract Capacitive humidity sensor based on Polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) electrospun nanofibers was fabricated. PVA nanofibers were synthesized through versatile electrospinning technique. The synthesized nanofibers were heat treated and characterized via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) for structural, morphological and thermal properties. The fibers of admirable morphological structure were selected and deposited over interdigitated alumina electrodes for the investigation of Relative Humidity (RH) sensing characteristics. The variation in capacitance of the sensor with RH was measured 48pf at 32-92% RH. The dynamic response study confirmed the durability and stability of the sensor. The material exhibited quick response and recovery time and takes 13.27 seconds to measure the maximum RH value. Thus, the proposed sensing material has the potential of possible application in humidity sensing devices.

Download Full-text

Development and Evaluation of Thermally-Crosslinked Mucoadhesive GantrezTM S-97/Polyvinyl Alcohol/ Hyaluronic Acid-Catechol Nanofibers

Key Engineering Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.859.208 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 859 ◽

pp. 208-213

Author(s):

Chaiyakarn Pornpitchanarong ◽

Theerasak Rojanarata ◽

Praneet Opanasopit ◽

Tanasait Ngawhirunpat ◽

Prasopchai Patrojanasophon

Keyword(s):

Hyaluronic Acid ◽

Polyvinyl Alcohol ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Polymer Mixture ◽

Electrospinning Technique ◽

Crosslinking Process ◽

Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy ◽

Mucoadhesive Polymers ◽

Nanoscale Fibers ◽

Methyl Vinyl Ether

This study aimed to develop novel thermally crosslinked mucoadhesive nanofibers. The nanofiber patches were composed of mucoadhesive polymers which were catechol-bearing hyaluronic acid (HA-cat) and copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride (GantrezTM, GT). Polyvinyl alcohol was used to improve the nanofiber properties. The nanofibers were prepared from a polymer mixture of 20 %wt GT, 10 %wt PVA, and 2 %wt HA-cat at different ratios using an electrospinning technique. Crosslinking process was performed by heat treatment at 130 °C for various durations. The appearances and chemical characteristics of the patch was evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), respectively. Moreover, the percentage of water insolubilization, tensile strength, and mucoadhesive property of the electrospun nanofibers were evaluated. Different polymer ratios provided identical nanoscale fibers. The patch prepared at the GT:PVA:HA-cat ration of 1:1:2 which provided the highest amount of catechol was selected. The optimal crosslinking time was 2 h under 130 °C in which the fiber diameters were not altered, and the highest percentage of water insolubilization was observed. Hydrogen and ester bond formation were established from the ATR-FTIR spectrum of the crosslinked patch. The patch could resist the force applied up to 4.82±0.46 N prior to deformation. In addition, the maximum detachment force from porcine buccal mucosa was 0.08±0.01 N. After all, the prepared electrospun mucoadhesive nanofibers may be a favorable mucoadhesive material for transmucosal drug delivery.

Download Full-text

Development of Electrospun Iminochitosan for Improved Wound Healing Application

Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics ◽

10.1177/155892501200700208 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 155892501200700 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rupesh Gajanan Nawalakhe ◽

Samuel M. Hudson ◽

Abdel-Fattah Mohamed Seyam ◽

Ahmed I. Waly ◽

Nabil Y. Abou-Zeid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surface Area ◽

Fiber Diameter ◽

High Surface ◽

High Surface Area ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Inhibition Zone ◽

Fiber Formation ◽

Diffusion Method ◽

Disc Diffusion Method ◽

Electrospinning Technique

Chitosan is a well known anti-microbial polymer. It is desired to develop and evaluate chitosan based structures with high surface area using electrospun nanofibers. To explore the properties of chitosan derivatives, iminochitosan was synthesized and electrospinning of its solutions was conducted. Nanofibers were obtained from iminochitosan solutions using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a solvent. Nanofiberwebs of fiber diameter range 70–400 nm were successfully obtained from 3%-8% iminochitosan solution in TFA using electrospinning technique of electric field of 2.5–6.0 kV/cm. Contact kill performance of the iminochitosan structures against a range of microbes was carried out using the disc diffusion method. The results indicate that the nanofiberwebs exhibit excellent antimicrobial behavior. It was found that the inhibition zone is affected by the iminochitosan structure parameters, namely covering power, surface area (which was affected by diameter), and basis weight. Viscosity of the solutions was determined and fiber formation was obtained in the range of 400–670cP.

Download Full-text

Tunable Photoluminescence of Polyvinyl Alcohol Electrospun Nanofibers by Doping of NaYF4: Eu+3 Nanophosphor

Journal of Nanomaterials ◽

10.1155/2020/1023589 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sanjeev Kumar ◽

Garima Jain ◽

B. P. Singh ◽

S. R. Dhakate

Keyword(s):

Polyvinyl Alcohol ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Excitation Wavelength ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Electrospinning Technique ◽

Transmission Microscopy ◽

Red Emission ◽

Uniform Dispersion ◽

Polymeric Nanofibers

NaYF4: Eu+3 nanophosphor/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite nanofibers have been successfully fabricated using the electrospinning technique. The electrospun polymeric nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), and Raman spectroscopy. The flexible polymeric mats exhibited strong red emission at 724 nm at excitation wavelength of 239 nm. 5% concentration of NaYF4: Eu+3 nanophosphor are embedded homogenously inside the PVA matrix. The strong red emission peak attributed to the presence of Eu+3 ions. The characterization of the mats confirmed the uniform dispersion and tunable photoluminescence properties. These photoluminescent nanofibers (PLNs) could be easily fabricated and potentially useful in solid-state lighting applications.

Download Full-text

NANOFIBRAS ELETROFIADAS E SUAS APLICAÇÕES: AVANÇOS NA ÚLTIMA DÉCADA

Química Nova ◽

10.21577/0100-4042.20170721 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Luiza Mercante ◽

Rafaela Andre ◽

Juliana Macedo ◽

Adriana Pavinatto ◽

Daniel Correa

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Performance ◽

Low Cost ◽

High Surface ◽

High Surface Area ◽

Volume Ratio ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Electrospinning Technique ◽

Structures And Properties ◽

Wide Range ◽

Simple Processing

ELECTROSPUN NANOFIBERS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS: ADVANCES IN THE LAST DECADE. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the development of nanomaterials with improved properties compared to their counterparts at the micro- and macroscopic scale. In this context, nanofibers obtained by electrospinning technique are highly attractive due to the unique combination of high surface area/volume ratio, porosity, flexibility, mechanical performance, simple processing and relatively low cost. In addition, the possibility to buildup nanofibers with different compositions, structures and properties allows the design of nanostructures for a wide range of applications. In this review, we will discuss the advances of the last decade in the use of the electrospinning to obtain nanofibers with different compositions and morphologies for varied applications. Specifically, we are interested in providing an overview of the state of the art in relation to the application of nanofibers in different areas, including healthcare, environment, sensing and energy. Finally, we will discuss the real perspective in terms of industrial application and future trends that have been pursued to improve the performance of electrospun nanofibers. This review will help researchers to understand the evolution and challenges of the area and will also stimulate even more interest in the development of new devices based on electrospun nanofibers

Download Full-text

Conformal Fabrication of an Electrospun Nanofiber Mat on a 3D Ear Cartilage-Shaped Hydrogel Collector Based on Hydrogel-Assisted Electrospinning

Nanoscale Research Letters ◽

10.1186/s11671-021-03571-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jin Yeong Song ◽

Hyun Il Ryu ◽

Jeong Myeong Lee ◽

Seong Hwan Bae ◽

Jae Woo Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Three Dimensional ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Cell Delivery ◽

Complex Geometries ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Uniform Thickness ◽

Electrospun Nanofiber ◽

Electrospinning Technique ◽

Ear Cartilage ◽

Focused Electric Field

AbstractElectrospinning is a common and versatile process to produce nanofibers and deposit them on a collector as a two-dimensional nanofiber mat or a three-dimensional (3D) macroscopic arrangement. However, 3D electroconductive collectors with complex geometries, including protruded, curved, and recessed regions, generally caused hampering of a conformal deposition and incomplete covering of electrospun nanofibers. In this study, we suggested a conformal fabrication of an electrospun nanofiber mat on a 3D ear cartilage-shaped hydrogel collector based on hydrogel-assisted electrospinning. To relieve the influence of the complex geometries, we flattened the protruded parts of the 3D ear cartilage-shaped hydrogel collector by exploiting the flexibility of the hydrogel. We found that the suggested fabrication technique could significantly decrease an unevenly focused electric field, caused by the complex geometries of the 3D collector, by alleviating the standard deviation by more than 70% through numerical simulation. Furthermore, it was experimentally confirmed that an electrospun nanofiber mat conformally covered the flattened hydrogel collector with a uniform thickness, which was not achieved with the original hydrogel collector. Given that this study established the conformal electrospinning technique on 3D electroconductive collectors, it will contribute to various studies related to electrospinning, including tissue engineering, drug/cell delivery, environmental filter, and clothing.

Download Full-text

Sputter-Deposited Ag Nanoparticles on Electrospun PCL Scaffolds: Morphology, Wettability and Antibacterial Activity

Coatings ◽

10.3390/coatings11030345 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 345

Author(s):

Daniele Valerini ◽

Loredana Tammaro ◽

Roberta Vitali ◽

Gloria Guillot ◽

Antonio Rinaldi

Keyword(s):

Ag Nanoparticles ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Antimicrobial Agents ◽

Antimicrobial Properties ◽

Deposition Process ◽

Polymer Fibers ◽

Antibacterial Action ◽

Porous Scaffolds ◽

Electrospinning Technique ◽

Sputtering Deposition

Porous scaffolds made of biocompatible and environmental-friendly polymer fibers with diameters in the nano/micro range can find applications in a wide variety of sectors, spanning from the biomedical field to textiles and so on. Their development has received a boost in the last decades thanks to advances in the production methods, such as the electrospinning technique. Conferring antimicrobial properties to these fibrous structures is a primary requirement for many of their applications, but the addition of antimicrobial agents by wet methods can present a series of drawbacks. In this work, strong antibacterial action is successfully provided to electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds by silver (Ag) addition through a simple and flexible way, namely the sputtering deposition of silver onto the PCL fibers. SEM-EDS analyses demonstrate that the polymer fibers get coated by Ag nanoparticles without undergoing any alteration of their morphological integrity upon the deposition process. The influence on wettability is evaluated with polar (water) and non-polar (diiodomethane) liquids, evidencing that this coating method allows preserving the hydrophobic character of the PCL polymer. Excellent antibacterial action (reduction > 99.995% in 4 h) is demonstrated against Escherichia coli. The easy fabrication of these PCL-Ag mats can be applicable to the production of biomedical devices, bioremediation and antifouling systems in filtration, personal protective equipment (PPE), food packaging materials, etc.

Download Full-text

Nanocomposites Materials of PLA Reinforced with Nanoclays Using a Masterbatch Technology: A Study of the Mechanical Performance and Its Sustainability

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13132133 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 2133

Author(s):

Helena Oliver-Ortega ◽

Josep Tresserras ◽

Fernando Julian ◽

Manel Alcalà ◽

Alba Bala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Packaging ◽

Mechanical Performance ◽

Polymeric Materials ◽

Barrier Properties ◽

Food Tray ◽

Environmental Concerns ◽

Poly Lactic Acid ◽

The Matrix ◽

Surface Modified ◽

Being Moved

Packaging consumes around 40% of the total plastic production. One of the most important fields with high requirements is food packaging. Food packaging products have been commonly produced with petrol polymers, but due to environmental concerns, the market is being moved to biopolymers. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is the most promising biopolymer, as it is bio-based and biodegradable, and it is well established in the market. Nonetheless, its barrier properties need to be enhanced to be competitive with other polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Nanoclays improve the barrier properties of polymeric materials if correct dispersion and exfoliation are obtained. Thus, it marks a milestone to obtain an appropriate dispersion. A predispersed methodology is proposed as a compounding process to improve the dispersion of these composites instead of common melt procedures. Afterwards, the effect of the polarity of the matrix was analyzing using polar and surface modified nanoclays with contents ranging from 2 to 8% w/w. The results showed the suitability of the predispersed and concentrated compound, technically named masterbatch, to obtain intercalated structures and the higher dispersion of polar nanoclays. Finally, the mechanical performance and sustainability of the prepared materials were simulated in a food tray, showing the best assessment of these materials and their lower fingerprint.

Download Full-text