Co‐electrospun nanofibers of PVA‐SbQ and Zein for wound healing

In this study, electrospun biocompatible nanofibers with random orientation were prepared by physically blending poly(vinyl alcohol)‐stilbazol quaternized (PVA‐SbQ) with zein in acetic acid solution for wound healing. PVA‐SbQ was used as the foundation polymer as well as crosslinking agent, blended with zein to achieve desirable properties such as improved tensile strength, surface wettability, and in vitro degradable properties. Moreover, vaccarin drug was incorporated in situ into electrospun nanofibrous membranes for cell viability and cell attachment. The addition of vaccarin showed great effects on the morphology of nanofiber and enhanced cell viability and proliferation in comparison with composite nanofibers without drug. The presence of PVA‐SbQ, zein, and vaccarin drug in the nanofibrous membranes exhibited good compatibility, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility and created a moist environment to have potential application for wound healing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42565.     

Silver‐nanoparticle‐Incorporated composite nanofibers for potential wound‐dressing applications

The aim of this study was to develop stable and porous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)–polycaprolactone blended and silver nanoparticle (Ag NP) incorporated composite nanofiber scaffolds as antibacterial wound dressings. A facile approach for the in situ synthesis of Ag NPs was explored. In this synthesis method, N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) was used as a solvent; it also acted as reducing agent for Ag NP formation. The stabilization of Ag NPs in the fibers was accomplished by PEO, which in turn acted as a reducing agent along with DMF. The successful synthesis of crystalline Ag NPs was confirmed by various characterization techniques. Thermogravimetric analysis, wettability, and surface roughness analysis of the nanofibers were done to examine the suitability of the scaffold for wound dressing. The as‐synthesized composite nanofibers possessed good roughness, wettability, and antibacterial potential against recombinant green fluorescent proteins expressing antibiotic‐resistant Escherichia coli. Thus, the nanofiber scaffold fabricated by this approach could serve as an ideal wound dressing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42473.     

Electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) composite nanofibers with halloysite nanotubes for the sustained release of sodium d‐pantothenate

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers containing halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) loaded with sodium d ‐pantothenate (SDP) were successfully fabricated via simple blend‐electrospinning. SDP was efficiently loaded into the innate HNT lumen with an SDP/HNT mass ratio of 1.5:1 via vacuum treatment. The SDP‐loaded HNT‐inclusion complex was evaluated with drug‐loading efficiency testing, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The morphologies of the nanofibers were observed by scanning electron microscopy, which revealed uniform and smooth surfaces of the nanofibers. The addition of HNTs to the composite nanofibers increased the viscosity of the polymer solution, and this suggested shorter fiber diameters. FTIR spectroscopy verified the good compatibility of the SDP and HNTs with PVA. Moreover, the swelling properties were found to quantitatively correlate with weight loss. In vitro drug‐release testing revealed that the HNTs and crosslinking reaction most dramatically affected the sustained release of SDP from the PVA and SDP‐loaded HNT complex. In the drug‐release kinetics model, SDP release depended on the diffusion caused by the deformation of the polymer‐based structures in the medium; it followed Fickian diffusion with acceptable coefficient of determination (r²) values between 0.88 and 0.94. Most importantly, the HNTs as natural biocontainers effectively modulated the release profile by loading the active compound in harmony with the electrospun nanofibers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42900.     

Novel thermosensitive hydrogel composites based on poly(d,l‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) nanoparticles embedded in poly(n‐isopropyl acrylamide) with sustained drug‐release behavior

To reach sustained drug release, a new composite drug‐delivery system consisting of poly(d,l ‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in thermosensitive poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogels was developed. The PNIPAAm hydrogels were synthesized by free‐radical polymerization and were crosslinked with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, and the PLGA NPs were prepared by a water‐in‐oil‐in‐water double‐emulsion solvent‐evaporation method. The release behavior of the composite hydrogels loaded with albumin–fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate was studied and compared with that of the drug‐loaded neat hydrogel and PLGA NPs. The results indicate that we could best control the release rate of the drug by loading it to the PLGA NPs and then embedding the whole system in the PNIPAAm hydrogels. The developed composite hydrogel systems showed near zero‐order drug‐release kinetics along with a reduction or omission of initial burst release. The differential scanning calorimetry results reveal that the lower critical solution temperature of the developed composite systems remained almost unchanged (<1°C increase only). Such a characteristic indicated that the thermosensitivity of the PNIPAAm hydrogel was not distinctively affected by the addition of PLGA NPs. In conclusion, an approach was demonstrated for the successful preparation of a new hybrid hydrogel system having improved drug‐release behavior with retained thermosensitivity. The developed systems have enormous potential for many biotechnological applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40625.     

Development of Antibacterial and Hemostatic PCL/Zein/ZnO-Quaternary Ammonium Salts NPs Composite Mats as Wound Dressings

Wound dressings are usually employed to maintain suitable conditions around the injured skin to accelerate wound healing. This paper aims to report functional composite dressings combined with polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers, self-assembly zein coating and modified ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) for wound management. The synthetic compounds and prepared composite dressings are characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Meanwhile, the water vapor transmission rate, hemostatic performance, antibacterial activity, and cytocompatibility of the composite dressings are systematically tested to evaluate their applicability in wound treatment. The results show that the multilayer dressings can retain moisture and prevent excessive dehydration of wound. In vitro hemostatic test is conducted, and the enhanced blood clotting capacity and the activation of platelets indicate that the desired dressings are able to control hemorrhaging from wound. Meanwhile, the composite dressings with excellent biocidal efficacy against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (6.01 Log within 30 min) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 (6.04 Log within 30 min) can effectively prevent wound infection. Furthermore, the dressings show no toxicity which are evidenced in hemolysis and cytocompatibility evaluation, and have potential application for wound healing.     

Flurbiprofen axetil loaded coaxial electrospun poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)–nanopoly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) core–shell composite nanofibers: Preparation,characterization, and anti‐adhesion activity

Flurbiprofen axetil (FA)‐loaded coaxial electrospun poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)–nanopoly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) core–shell composite nanofibers were successfully fabricated by a facile coaxial electrospinning, and an electrospun drug‐loaded system was formed for anti‐adhesion applications. The FA, which is a kind of lipid microsphere nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug, was shown to be successfully adsorbed in the PVP, and the formed poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA)/PVP/FA composite nanofibers exhibited a uniform and smooth morphology. The cell viability assay and cell morphology observation revealed that the formed PLGA/PVP/FA composite nanofibers were cytocompatible. Importantly, the loaded FA within the PLGA/PVP coaxial nanofibers showed a sustained‐release profile and anti‐adhesion activity to inhibit the growth of the IEC‐6 and NIH3T3 model cells. With the significantly reduced burst‐release profile, good cytocompatibility, and anti‐adhesion activity, the developed PLGA/PVP/FA composite nanofibers were proposed to be a promising material in the fields of tissue engineering and pharmaceutical science. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41982.     

Composite chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) electrospun nanofibrous mats as novel wound dressing matrixes for the controlled release of drugs

The aim of this study was to develop novel biomedical electrospun nanofiber mats for controlled drug release, in particular to release a drug directly to an injury site to accelerate wound healing. Here, nanofibers of chitosan (CS), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and a 90 : 10 composite blend, loaded with a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, such as ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CipHCl) or moxifloxacin hydrochloride (Moxi), were successfully prepared by an electrospinning technique. The morphology of the electrospun nanofibers was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The functional groups of the electrospun nanofibers before and after crosslinking were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. X‐ray diffraction results indicated an amorphous distribution of the drug inside the nanofiber blend. In vitro drug‐release evaluations showed that the crosslinking could control the rate and period of drug release in wound‐healing applications. The inhibition of bacterial growth for both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were achieved on the CipHCl‐ and Moxi‐loaded nanofibers. In addition, both types of CS/PEO and drug‐containing CS/PEO nanofibers showed excellent cytocompatibility in the cytotoxicity assays. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42060.     

Cytotoxicity and cellular uptake evaluation of mitoxantrone‐loaded poly(lactic acid‐co‐lysine) arginine–glycine–aspartic acid nanoparticles

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro characteristics of poly(lactic acid‐co‐lysine) arginine–glycine–aspartic acid (PLA–PLL–RGD) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with mitoxantrone. PLA–PLL–RGD NPs with a particle size of 200 nm were prepared with a modified emulsification solvent‐diffusion method. The encapsulation efficiency of the mitoxantrone‐loaded NPs was 85%. In vitro release experiments showed that the release of the drug was prolonged and sustained, and approximately 60.2% of the mitoxantrone was released in the first week. The released drug was integrated to achieve desired drug‐release profiles and still possessed bioactivity according to a 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2h‐tetrazolium bromide assay, which indicated that mitoxantrone‐loaded NPs were more cytotoxic against Michigan Cancer Foundation 7 (MCF‐7) breast cancer cells than mitoxantrone. Furthermore, the association processes of NPs with MCF‐7 cells, including binding and effective internalization, were investigated in vitro. The cellular uptake of the NPs was qualitatively studied with confocal laser scanning microscopy and was confirmed with flow cytometry analysis. These experimental results indicated that PLA–PLL–RGD NPs could be used as drug carriers for mitoxantrone. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Preparation and in vitro drug‐release behavior of 5‐fluorouracil‐loaded poly(hydroxybutyrate‐co‐hydroxyhexanoate) nanoparticles and microparticles

Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) copolymeric microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by the double‐emulsion solvent‐evaporation technique. 5‐Fluorouracil (5‐Fu), an anticancer drug, was entrapped in PHBHHx NPs and MPs. A variety of parameters, including the species and concentration of different surfactants, power and time of ultrasonication for particle dispersion, and organic/aqueous solution ratio, that affected the production of the 5‐Fu‐loaded PHBHHx NP and MP particles and the release of 5‐Fu were studied. The results show that the prepared NPs and MPs were spherical in shape and about 160 nm and 3 μm in size, respectively, when cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide was used as the emulsifier. The drug‐loading content (DLC) varied from 3.53 to 8.03% for 5‐Fu‐loaded NPs and from 4.83 to 18.87% for 5‐Fu‐loaded MPs and depended on the different initial feeding amounts of 5‐Fu. The encapsulation efficiency decreased with increasing DLC. The in vitro drug‐release characteristics appeared to have two phases with an initial burst effect occurring within the first 8 h; this was more obvious for the particles with low DLCs. The NPs with high DLC (8.03%) had the slowest release rate, 49.6% of 5‐Fu within 24 h. Therefore, PHBHHx copolymeric NPs and MPs can possibly be applied as drug‐delivery carrier materials in the future. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Nitrofurazone‐loaded PVA–PEG semi‐IPN for application as hydrogel dressing for normal and burn wounds

Hydrogels have been used in a wide variety of biomedical devises, particularly in the field of drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound healing. In this study, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–polyethylene glycol (PEG) semi‐interpenetrating hydrogel network (IPN)‐based wound dressing system containing nitrofurazone (NFZ) was synthesized by chemical crosslinking technique. The introduction of PEG to PVA matrix led to reduction in the water vapor transmission rate, which in‐turn resulted in improved healing activity. Drug‐loaded IPNs were prepared by mixing aqueous solution of NFZ with the optimized PVA–PEG formulation subsequent to the crosslinking step. The in vitro diffusion studies of NFZ indicated a relatively slow release of drug resulting from its microencapsulation in the polymeric matrix. Subsequently, in vivo wound healing efficacy toward acute and burn wound healing in experimental rats was investigated. Semi‐IPN hydrogel loaded with NFZ dressing improved the overall healing rate in both acute and burn wounds, as evidenced by significant increase in total protein, hydroxyproline and hexosamine contents. Histological examinations also correlated well with the biochemical findings. A faster wound contraction was also observed in hydrogel treated acute and burn wounds. The results indicated that PVA–PEG semi‐IPN hydrogel based dressing systems containing NFZ could be used as an effective wound dressing material. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

A novel honey‐based nanofibrous scaffold for wound dressing application

In this study, nanofiber meshes were produced from aqueous mixtures of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and honey via electrospinning. The Electrospinning process was performed at different PVAs to honey ratios (100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, and 60/40). Dexamethasone sodium phosphate was selected as an anti‐inflammatory drug and incorporated in the electrospinning solutions. Its release behavior was determined. Uniform and smooth nanofibers were formed, independent of the honey content. In case honey content increased up to 40%, some spindle‐like beads on the fibers were observed. The diameter of electrospun fibers decreased as the ratio of honey increased. The release characteristics of the model drug from both the PVA and PVA/honey (80/20) nanofibrous mats were studied and statistical analysis was performed. All electrospun fibers exhibited a large initial burst release at a short time after incubation. The release profile was similar for both PVA and PVA/honey (80/20) drug‐loaded nanofibers. This study shows that an anti‐inflammatory drug can be released during the initial stages and honey can be used as a natural antibiotic to improve the wound dressing efficiency and increase the healing rate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci, 2013     

Self‐assembling chitosan hydrogel: A drug‐delivery device enabling the sustained release of proteins

The development of a self‐assembling hydrogel, prepared from maleimide‐modified and thiolated chitosan (CS), is described. Under mild reaction conditions, the natural CS polymer was coupled with either maleimide or sulfhydryl moieties in a one‐step synthesis. Subsequently, these CS polymers spontaneously formed a covalently crosslinked CS hydrogel when mixed. The three‐dimensional network structure was visualized with scanning electron microscopy. The swelling and degradation behavior was evaluated, and viscosity measurements were conducted. The gel was loaded with the model protein albumin, and prolonged release was achieved. These properties were preserved after lyophilization and rehydration. This makes the hydrogel a promising scaffold for biological wound dressings for the treatment of chronic wounds. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45638.     

Quinone propionic acid‐based redox‐triggered polymer nanoparticles for drug delivery: Computational analysis and in vitro evaluation

Redox‐responsive polymers with pendant quinone propionic acid groups as a redox trigger were optimized by computational modeling to prepare efficient redox‐triggered polymer nanoparticles (NPs) for drug delivery. Lipophilicities at complete reduction of redox‐responsive polymers (<5000 Da) constructed with adipic acid and glutaric acid were remarkably reduced to range from ?6.29 to ?0.39 compared with nonreduced state (18.87–32.46), suggesting substantial polymer solubility reversal in water. Based on this hypothesis, redox‐responsive NPs were prepared from the synthesized polymers with paclitaxel as model cancer drug. The average size of paclitaxel‐loaded NPs was 249.8 nm and their reconstitutions were stable over eight weeks. In vitro drug release profiles demonstrated the NPs to release >80% of paclitaxel over 24 h at a simulated redox‐state compared with 26.5 to 41.2% release from the control. Cell viability studies revealed that the polymer was nontoxic and the NPs could release paclitaxel to suppress breast cancer cell growth. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40461.     

Drug‐loaded polyurethane/clay nanocomposite nanofibers for topical drug‐delivery application

In this study, polyurethane/nanoclay nanocomposite nanofibrous webs were prepared by electrospinning. An antiseptic drug, chlorhexidine acetate (CA), was loaded onto montmorillonite clay and was then incorporated into polyurethane nanofibers. For comparison, the CA drug was loaded directly into the polyurethane solution dope used to electrospin the nanofibers. The emphasis was on investigating the effect of the drug loading into the nanoclay vis‐à‐vis direct drug loading on the drug‐release behavior of nanofibrous webs. The nanofibrous webs were also evaluated for other properties, such as moisture vapor transmission, porosity determination, contact angle measurement, and antibacterial activity, which are important for topical drug‐delivery application. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40230.     

Chitosan/alginate nanoparticles stabilized by poloxamer for the controlled release of 5‐fluorouracil

In this study, stable 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU)‐loaded chitosan (CS)/alginate (Alg) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared with poloxamer as a surfactant. The effects of the Alg concentration, CS/Alg weight ratio, and poloxamer concentration on the properties of the 5‐FU‐loaded CS/Alg NPs were studied. The results of dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy indicated that stable 5‐FU‐loaded CS/Alg NPs of around 200 nm with low‐size polydispersities were achieved. Furthermore, the in vitro release of the 5‐FU‐loaded CS/Alg NPs was investigated in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4. The results show that the encapsulation efficiency of 5‐FU depended on the drug feeding amount (DFA), poloxamer concentration, Alg concentration, and CS concentration. However, the in vitro release rate of the 5‐FU‐loaded CS/Alg NPs was only related to the DFA, Alg concentration, and CS concentration and was independent of the poloxamer concentration. The time of 5‐FU release from the CS/Alg NPs could becontrolled to be sustained for more than 12 h. According to this study, CS/Alg NPs stabilized by poloxamer could serve as a suitable candidate for the controlled release of 5‐FU. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Theophylline‐loaded pectin‐based hydrogels. I. Effect of medium pH and preparation conditions on drug release profile

In this study, a series of theophylline‐loaded calcium pectin gel films were prepared in three different Ca⁺² concentrations with three different methods for wound dressing applications. Drug release performance of the films were investigated in four different medium pH in order to mimic wound healing pH conditions. Hydrogel films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Their absorbency (fluid handling), swelling behavior, dehydration rate, dispersion characteristic, dressing pH determination, water vapor permeability, oxygen permeability, surface contact angle, flexibility, Shore A hardness, mean mass per unit area and thickness were determined. The effect of the hydrogels on wound healing was evaluated with an in vitro wound healing assay. After evaluating all data, we suggested that the hydrogel film prepared with swelling method using 7% or 10% crosslinker and dried at 26 °C is more suitable for controlled drug release process. We showed that between pH 3.25 and 7.12 the form of the hydrogel did not change, and drug release was continuous. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46731.     

Preparation,characterization, antibacterial properties,and hemostatic evaluation of ibuprofen‐loaded chitosan/gelatin composite films

Ibuprofen‐loaded chitosan/gelatin (CS/GE) composite films were fabricated in this work. The morphology of the composite film was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The functional groups of the composite film before and after crosslinking were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties, antibacterial performance, cytocompatibility, and hemostatic activity of the composite films were investigated. The results show that the amount of CS affected the mechanical properties and liquid uptake capacities of the composite films. The composite film showed better bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus than Escherichia coli. In vitro drug‐release evaluations showed that crosslinking could control the drug‐release rate and period in wound healing. Both types of CS/GE and drug‐loaded CS/GE composite films also showed excellent cytocompatibility in cytotoxicity assays. The hemostatic evaluation indicated that the composite film crosslinked by glutaraldehyde in rabbit livers had a dramatic hemostatic efficacy. Therefore, ibuprofen‐loaded CS/GE composite films are potentially applicable as a wound dressing material. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45441.     

Drug‐release behavior of chitosan‐g‐poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymer matrix

Chitosan‐g‐poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) copolymers with different grafting percent were prepared by grafting water‐soluble PVA onto chitosan. The drug‐release behavior was studied using the chitosan‐g‐PVA copolymer matrix containing prednisolone in a drug‐delivery system under various conditions. The relationship between the amount of the released drug and the square root of time was linear. From this result, the drug‐release behavior through the chitosan‐g‐PVA copolymer matrix is shown to be consistent with Higuchi's diffusion model. The drug‐release apparent constant (K_H) was slightly decreased at pH 1.2, but increased at pH 7.4 and 10 according to the increasing PVA grafting percent. Also, K_H was decreased by heat treatment and crosslinking. The drug release behavior of the chitosan‐g‐PVA copolymer matrix was able to be controlled by the PVA grafting percent, heat treatment, or crosslinking and was also less affected by the pH values than was the chitosan matrix. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 458–464, 1999     

Synthesis,antimicrobial, and release behaviors of tetracycline hydrochloride loaded poly (VInyl alcohol)/chitosan/ZrO2 nanofibers

Tetracycline hydrochloride loaded poly (vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/ZrO₂ (Tet‐PVA/CS/ZrO₂) hybrid nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning technique. The representative weight ratio of PVA/CS at 3 : 1 was chosen to fabricate drug carrier PVA/CS/ZrO₂ nanofibers. The drug carrier showed a decrease in average diameter with the increase of ZrO₂ content at given conditions, and the nanofibers were uneven and interspersed with spindle‐shape beads with ZrO₂ content at 60 wt % and above. The networks linked by hydrogen and Zr–O–C bonds among PVA, CS, and ZrO₂ units resulted in the improving of thermal stability and decreasing of crystallinity of the polymeric matrix. Moreover, the incorporation of ZrO₂ endowed the fibers with ultraviolet shielding effect ranged from 200 to 400 nm. The Tet loading dosage had no obvious effect on the morphology and size of the medicated nanofibers at Tet content below 8 wt %, but interspersed with spindle‐shaped beads when Tet content increased to 10 wt %. The Tet‐PVA/CS/ZrO₂) nanofibers showed well controlled release and better antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and the Tet release from the medicated nanofibers could be described by Fickian diffusion model for M_t /M_∞< 0.6. These medicated nanofibers may have potential as a suitable material in drug delivery and wound dressing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42506.     

Preparation of antimicrobial poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) electrospun nanofibers containing silver‐loaded zirconium phosphate nanoparticles

Antimicrobial nanofibers of poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared by electrospinning of a PCL solution with small amounts of silver‐loaded zirconium phosphate nanoparticles (nanoAgZ) for potential use in wound dressing applications. The electrospun nanoAgZ‐containing PCL nanofibers were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectrum (EDX), X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD), antimicrobial tests, and biocompatibility tests. The SEM, EDX, and XRD investigations of the electrospun fibers confirmed that silver‐containing nanoparticles were incorporated and well dispersed in smooth and beadless PCL nanofibers. The results of the antimicrobial tests showed that these fibers have maintained the strong killing abilities of Ag⁺ existed in the nanoAgZ against the tested bacteria strains and discoloration has not been observed for the nanofibers. To test the biocompatibility of nanofibers as potential wound dressings, primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were cultured on the nanofibrous mats. The cultured cells were evaluated in terms of cell proliferation and morphology. The results indicated that the cells attached and proliferated as continuous layers on the nanoAgZ‐containing nanofibers and maintained the healthy morphology of HDFs. The earlier results suggested that nanoAgZ‐containing fibers may be expected to be a novel material for potential wound dressing applications because of the significant bacteriostatic activities and good biocompatibility. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007