RF hydrazine plasma modification of chitosan for antibacterial activity and nanofiber applications

Chitosan nano powders were modified using RF hydrazine plasma produced at low pressure (26.66 Pa) with 13.56 MHz frequency at a power of 100W for 30 min. Characterization and investigation of the properties of plasma-modified chitosan (PMCh) and non-modified chitosan (Ch) were carried out using an optical monochromator, FTIR, florescence analysis, TGA, SEM, and X-ray techniques. FTIR spectra of PMCh indicated a band broadening at 3436 cm(-1) that confirmed increasing functional groups based on H-bonding. The number of NH2 groups was determined from fluorescence analysis. TGA analysis shows that the moisture absorption is three times higher in the PMCh structure. Ch and PMCh in PVA solutions were used to produce nanofibers by the electrospinning method; average fiber diameters were 480 and 280 nm for Ch and PMCh, respectively. It was found that the antibacterial effect of PMCh is better than the Ch for Gram-positive strains. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.