Nanoclay-reinforced electrospun chitosan/PVA nanocomposite nanofibers for biomedical applications

Nanofibrous nanocomposites based on a chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) blend and Na-montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclays were prepared by the electrospinning technique. The morphological studies of the electrospun mats revealed that uniform bead-free nanofibers were formed. Existence of MMT in the nanofibrous mats was confirmed by FTIR and energy dispersive X-ray scattering (EDX). The high aspect ratio MMT nanoclays were incorporated inside the nanofibers. Small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD) measurements showed that the electrospinning process significantly affected the interlayer spacing of the nanoclays. Incorporation of nanoclays into the nanofibers enhanced the tensile strength and increased the glass transition of the mats. The cytotoxicity of the nanocomposite mats was examined by MTT assay using the A-431 cell line. The clay-containing nanofibrous mats did not show any significant effect on the viability of the cells. The A-431 cells were properly attached on the surface of the mats.