Fabrication and Characterization of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Gelatin/ Silver Nanoparticle Nanocomposite Materials

In this study, nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles were fabricated by electrospinnining method. The blends of polyvinyl alcohol as a synthetic polymer and gelatin as a biopolymer were used to fabricate wound dressing material having antibacterial activity. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis indicated that porous and interconnected nanofibrous structures were obtained for all blend compositions. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) results showed the existence silver nanoparticles in the structure. The chemical changes related with crosslinking and the change of the structure in simulated body fluid were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Antibacterial tests were performed to prove the antibacterial activity. The inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry results showed that controlled silver release was achieved. It was concluded that obtained nanofiber mats could be suitable candidates for wound dressing applications