Facile fabrication of sulfated alginate electrospun nanofibers

Mass fabrication of sodium alginate nanofibers using single-nuzzle electrospinning process is an open challenge mainly due to its inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding, rigid chain conformation and low solubility. In this regards, we synthesized sodium sulfated alginate (SSA) through sulfation of hydroxyl functional groups of alginate. Not only decreases the hydrogen bonding density through the sulfation reaction, but the sulfated alginate also demonstrates more solubility in aqueous media compared to the pristine alginate. Beside the sulfation of alginate, its electrospinnability in combination with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) significantly improves. In contrast to the neat alginate, concentrated aqueous solutions of sulfated alginate, 10 wt%, can be easily prepared and electrospun to obtain nanofibers of sulfated alginate. In this regards, facile fabrication of electrospun nanofibers of alginate derivatives with 50 wt% content in dry electrospun mat of SSA/PVA using single-nuzzle electrospinning and flow rate of 5 mL h^-1 was developed for the first time.