Optimization of Chitosan-Gelatin Nanofibers Production: Investigating the Effect of Solution Properties and Working Parameters on Fibers Diameter

• Published in: BioNanoScience 2018-09, Vol.8 (3), p.778-789
• Main Authors: Amiri, Nafise, Rozbeh, Zohreh, Afrough, Toktam, Sajadi Tabassi, Sayyed Abolghasem, Moradi, Ali, Movaffagh, Jebrail
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Batch processing; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomaterials; Biomedical materials; Biophysics; Biopolymers; Chitosan; Circuits and Systems; Crosslinking; Electrical conductivity; Electrical resistivity; Electrospinning; Engineering; Feed rate; Fourier transforms; Gelatin; Infrared spectroscopy; Mats; Mechanical properties; Membranes; Morphology; Nanofibers; Nanotechnology; Parameters; Polyethylene; Polyethylene oxide; Polyethylenes; Polymer blends; Solvents; Spectrum analysis; Viscosity
• ISSN: 2191-1630; 2191-1649
• DOI: 10.1007/s12668-018-0540-5

Electrospinning of chitosan-gelatin, using organic solvents, have already been reported. This study was designed to fabricate, characterize, and optimize electrospun chitosan-gelatin nanofibrous membranes using acetic acid as a more safe alternative aqueous solvent. Series of 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50 ratios of chitosan and gelatin were prepared using aqueous acetic acid as solvent. Blend solutions were electrospun after adding polyethylene oxide (PEO) to facilitate the electrospinning process. The effects of solution properties as well as the operating parameters on the architecture of the electrospun chitosan-gelatin nanofibers were investigated through evaluation of the electrical conductivity, viscosity, morphology, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mechanical properties, and hydrophilicity. Uniform beadless nanofibrous hydrophilic mats were fabricated with average fiber diameters from 229.79 ± 41.45 to 308.66 ± 50.03 nm. Concentration was the main parameter among all solution properties in controlling nanofiber diameter. The fiber diameters decreased with increasing the voltage, decreasing the feed rate, and increasing the needle to collector distance up to a certain amount. The interactions between the components of the blend solutions were confirmed by FTIR spectra. The Young’s moduli of all chitosan-gelatin blend nanofibers were higher than the chitosan nanofibers and increased significantly after cross-linking ( P