Design and characterization of keratin/PVA-PLA nanofibers containing hybrids of nanofibrillated chitosan/ZnO nanoparticles.

In this paper, designing electrospun composite nanofibers containing poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and keratin/poly (vinyl alcohol) (K/PVA) as the major components and natural nanofibrillated chitosan (CHNF)/ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) (CSZ) combination as the nanofiller ingredient, has been investigated. PLA solution from one syringe and K/PVA from another one with incorporation of CHNF (CS), CSZ (2:1), (1:1) and (1:2) were electrospun and produced nanofibers were formed on the rotating collector. Addition of CHNF and ZnONPs amounts in CSZ combination resulted in reduction of the diameter of nanofibers. The highest hydrophilicity was reported for K/PVA/CS-PLA/CS sample with the contact angle of about 43 ± 3°. AFM results for K/PVA-PLA, K/PVA/CS-PLA/CS and K/PVA/CSZ(2:1)-PLA/CSZ(2:1), K/PVA/CSZ(1:2)-PLA/CSZ(1:2) samples indicated that the surface roughness factor for these nanofibers was about 708, 277, 378 and 658 nm, respectively. DSC analysis for K/PVA/CSZ(1:2)-PLA/CSZ(1:2) structure exhibited that the peaks related to the melting points of PLA and PVA shifted to higher temperatures. Overally, K/PVA/CSZ(2:1)-PLA/CSZ(2:1) nanofiber with diameter of 352.50 ± 31 nm, contact angle of 48 ± 3°, tensile strength of 0.96 ± 0.18 MPa is suggested as a proper wound healing scaffold that has highest antibacterial as well as potential to increase cell proliferation.