Fabrication and properties of carboxymethyl chitosan/polyethylene oxide composite nonwoven mats by centrifugal spinning

Carboxymethyl chitosan/polyethylene oxide (CMCS/PEO) mixed composition nonwoven mats with the average mat basis weight of 34.53-49.63 g/m(2) were prepared by centrifugal spinning from homogeneous aqueous solution for potential use as wound dressings. The weight fraction composition of CMCS/PEO investigated was 40/60 to 60/40. The CMCS/PEO fibers were found to have normally distributed, monomodal, average diameters ranging from 1.91 mu m (55 % CMCS) to 3.22 mu m (50 % CMCS). Addition of CMCS to PEO (40 % CMCS) resulted in appearance of a wide angle x-ray diffraction (WXRD) peak at 18.9 degrees. The CMCS and PEO fibers were demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry and WXRD to be mixtures of the two paracrystalline polymers. The composite nonwoven mats with 60 % weight of CMCS demonstrated Log2 reduction at 24 h against Staphylococcus aureus inoculation (104 cfg/mL).

Automated summary

The nonwoven mats composed of carboxymethyl chitosan/polyethylene oxide (CMCS/PEO) were prepared by centrifugal spinning, with weight composition ranging from 40/60 to 60/40. The addition of CMCS to PEO affected the fiber diameter and resulted in the appearance of a WXRD peak. The composite nonwoven mats demonstrated effective bactericidal properties against Staphylococcus aureus.