Antibacterial Activity and Stability of the Electrospun Antibacterial Polymer/Silver Nanoparticle Nanohybrid Mats

In our previous work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with ultrasmall sizes (4.3 ± 0.7 nm) can be in-situ obtained within the poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) fibers by mediating the electro-spun conditions. The obtained AgNPs “trapped” within the electro-spun PVA nanofibers were believed to be stable in the dry state, as the abundant PVA molecules could protect the dispersed AgNPs from agglomerating with each other. In this study, based on former study, aging tests about the nanohybrid mats were performed. Through ATR-FTIR spectra analysis, the formation mechanism of AgNPs within the PVA nanofiber by one-step electro-spun was confirmed. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy analysis of the as-prepared PVA-Ag samples was performed in 14 h and the release of Ag+ was believed to be the main cause of its bactericidal effects. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the nanofibers with AgNPs. After 4-month storage, the size of AgNPs doped in the PVA nanofiber became twice larger and the content of AgNPs was almost doubled.