Electrospun Chitosan/Gelatin/Nano-CaCO₃ Hybrid Nanofibers for Potential Tissue Engineering Applications

ABSTRACT

Organic–inorganic hybrid materials are promising candidates for biomedical applications. In this study, chitosan, gelatin, and stearic acid coated nano-CaCO₃ were electrospun to fabricate non-woven fibrous mats. The prepared chitosan/gelatin/nano-CaCO₃ fibers with different CaCO₃ contents (0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% w/v to polymer solution) were examined in terms of morphology, structure, thermal behavior, and antibacterial activity. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results confirmed the formation of electrostatic interactions between chitosan, gelatin, and CaCO_3. Chitosan/gelatin/nano-CaCO₃ could be successfully electrospun into nanofibers with average fiber diameters between 184 ± 45 and 237 ± 55 nm and enhanced thermal stability. Electrospinning biopolymer blend with added calcium carbonate at higher concentration (3–5%) resulted in the formation of antibacterial fibers against B. subtilis, C. albicans, K. pneumonia, and S. aureus. According to all these favorable features, electrospun chitosan, gelatin, and nano-CaCO₃ fibers seem to be attractive materials for biomedical applications.

摘要

有机-无机杂化材料在生物医学领域有着广阔的应用前景. 本研究以壳聚糖、明胶及硬脂酸包覆之奈米碳酸钙为原料，利用静电纺丝技术制备无纺布纤维垫. 对制备的壳聚糖/明胶/纳米碳酸钙纤维的形态、结构、热性能和抗菌性能进行了研究. 傅立叶变换红外光谱结果证实了壳聚糖、明胶和碳酸钙之间形成静电相互作用. 壳聚糖/明胶/纳米碳酸钙可成功电纺成平均纤维直径在184±45~237±55nm之间的纳米纤维，提高了热稳定性. 在高浓度的抗菌纤维中加入5%的枯草芽孢杆菌和5%的金黄色葡萄球菌，可形成抗肺炎的抗菌纤维. 基于这些优点，静电纺壳聚糖、明胶和纳米碳酸钙纤维是一种极具吸引力的生物医学材料.

KEYWORDS:

• Antibacterial activity
• electrospinning
• gelatin/chitosan hybrids
• polymer–matrix composites
• stearic acid coated CaCO₃
• composite nanofiber

关键 字:

• 关键词：抗菌活性
• 静电纺丝
• 明胶/壳聚糖混合物
• 聚合物基复合材料
• 硬脂酸包覆碳酸钙
• 复合纳米纤维

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Dr. Elif Ayşe ERDOĞAN-ELİUZ for antibacterial tests and Fatma Nur PARIN for Image J analysis. The author would like to thank as well Adaçal Industrial Minerals Company for supplying the calcium carbonate.