Preparation and Properties of Electrospun Poly (Vinyl Pyrrolidone)/Cellulose Nanocrystal/Silver Nanoparticle Composite Fibers

Abstract

Poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)/cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)/silver nanoparticle composite fibers were prepared via electrospinning using N,N′-dimethylformamide (DMF) as a solvent. Rheology, morphology, thermal properties, mechanical properties, and antimicrobial activity of nanocomposites were characterized as a function of material composition. The PVP/CNC/Ag electrospun suspensions exhibited higher conductivity and better rheological properties compared with those of the pure PVP solution. The average diameter of the PVP electrospun fibers decreased with the increase in the amount of CNCs and Ag nanoparticles. Thermal stability of electrospun composite fibers was decreased with the addition of CNCs. The CNCs help increase the composite tensile strength, while the elongation at break decreased. The composite fibers included Ag nanoparticles showed improved antimicrobial activity against both the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) and the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The enhanced strength and antimicrobial performances of PVP/CNC/Ag electrospun composite fibers make the mat material an attractive candidate for application in the biomedical field.

Electrospun Fibers and Sorbents as a Possible Basis for Effective Composite Wound Dressings

“…In the case of PVP electrospun fibers reported in the literature, the % of elongation at break is 9.10 ± 0.2%, and the ultimate tensile strength is 2.30 ± 0.2 MPa [82]. In case of the electrospun fibers in this work, the % of elongation at the break of PVP samples was 21 ± 8%, higher than those presented in the literature, and the ultimate tensile strength of PCL samples was 2.3 ± 0.2 MPa, which was the same as reported in [83].…”

“…Nevertheless, since Young's modulus of the human skin fluctuates between 0.42 MPa and 0.85 MPa [82], in the present work mats possess the necessary mechanical characteristics to be used as a wound dressing. In the case of films, they are reported to be stronger than fibrous mats.…”

Conventional and Advanced Composites in Aerospace Industry: Technologies Revisited

“…In order to improve the performance, there are several trends that have emerged in the field of polymer matrix composites with emphasizing the weight reduction as a key factor. One of the interesting trends in the field is using nanoscale reinforcement rather than micro-scale reinforcements [21]. The reduction of the reinforcement size from micrometer scale to nanoscale constituents, with critical dimensions on the order of 100 nm and below, offers new opportunities in the tailoring of mechanical and physical properties of the polymers [22].…”

Morphology enhancement of TiO2/PVP composite nanofibers based on solution viscosity and processing parameters of electrospinning method

“…The role of carrier polymer is to adjust the viscosity of the solution used for fabrication of the electrospun nanofibers . Some of the commonly used polymers as carrier medium are poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene oxide), polyacrylonitrile, and poly(vinyl alcohol) …”