Preparation and antibacterial properties of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol nanofibrous mats using different organic acids as solvents

In this paper, three kinds of environmentally friendly chitosan (CS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibrous mats were prepared by electrospinning using low concentrations of acetic acid (AA), succinic acid (SA) and citric acid (CA) as solvents. For the first time, a systematic study on the effect of different organic acids on the properties of CS/PVA nanofibres was performed, which avoided the disadvantages of the use of strong acids or toxic organic acids as solvents. This study aimed to prepare CS/PVA nanofibrous mats to improve the antibacterial effect and biocompatibility. The results showed that the water stability of the prepared CS/PVA/CA nanofibrous mat was higher than that of pure PVA nanofibre mats, and CS/PVA/CA displayed optimal antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. Therefore, the CS/PVA/CA nanofibrous mat offers great potential for antibacterial applications.