Functional PVA/VB2/TiO₂ Nanofiber Webs for Controlled Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers are investigated for drug delivery.
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin, VB2) is a key nutrient with therapeutic potential.
• Controlling drug release from nanofiber systems is crucial for efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize drug-loaded and nanoparticle-coated PVA nanofiber webs.
• To investigate the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) coating on VB2 release kinetics.
• To evaluate the potential of these nanofiber webs for sustained drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Electrospinning was used to produce PVA/VB2/TiO2 nanofiber webs.
• Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyzed nanofiber morphology.
• Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Instron tensile tester assessed chemical and mechanical properties.
• Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) quantified VB2 release.

Main Results:

• PVA/VB2/TiO2 nanofiber webs with TiO2:VB2 ratios of 18:1 and 9:1 demonstrated steady VB2 release.
• Approximately 60% of VB2 was released around 168 hours, with complete release near 10 days.
• TiO2 coating effectively prevented burst release through surface modification and altered polymer morphology.

Conclusions:

• Drug-loaded and nanoparticle-coated hydrophilic nanofiber webs offer a promising platform for sustained drug release.
• The developed PVA/VB2/TiO2 nanofiber webs are suitable candidates for advanced drug delivery applications.
• TiO2 coating is a viable strategy to control and improve drug release profiles from nanofiber systems.