Novel bioactive amino-functionalized cellulose nanofibers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Cellulose-based materials are gaining attention for biomedical applications.
• Developing functionalized cellulose with enhanced properties, such as antimicrobial activity, is crucial for advanced applications.
• Electrospinning offers a versatile method for creating nanofiber structures from various polymers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize amino-cellulose nanofibers.
• To investigate the influence of solution and electrospinning parameters on nanofiber formation.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the obtained amino-cellulose nanofibers.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of 6-deoxy-6-trisaminoethyl-amino (TEAE) cellulose via nucleophilic displacement.
• Preparation of blended solutions of TEAE cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
• Optimization of solution characteristics (polymer concentration, conductivity, surface tension) and electrospinning parameters.
• Characterization of nanofibers using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Antimicrobial activity testing against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated amino-cellulose/PVA nanofibers via electrospinning.
• Identified key solution and process parameters influencing nanofiber morphology.
• Demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity of the nanofibers against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Conclusions:

• Amino-cellulose nanofibers can be effectively produced using electrospinning.
• The synthesized nanofibers exhibit potent antimicrobial properties.
• These findings suggest potential applications in antimicrobial wound dressings or coatings.