Electrospinning of Silver and Zinc-Coated Halloysite Nanotube Polylactic Acid Scaffolds

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are proven nanocontainers and nanocarriers. Silver nitrate (Ag) and zinc sulfate nanoparticles (Zn) are known for their antimicrobial properties. This study incorporated Ag and Zn-coated HNTs in electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber composite. An efficient and 'green' method of coating Ag and Zn nanoparticles on the HNT surface was used to metal coat the surface of HNTs. The resulting Ag and Zn-coated HNTs PLA electrospun fibers were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–Vis spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). AgHNTs and Zn/HNTs AgHNTs and Zn/HNTs fibers were evaluated for their potential antimicrobial activity when integrated into electrospun PLA fibers. Fiber diameters calculated from SEM images using DiameterJ software indicated a reduction in fiber diameters with adding Ag and ZnHNTs compared to native HNTs. The swelling ratio, porosity, scaffold density, and antimicrobial characteristics of four different PLA scaffolds significantly differed between groups with a 95% confidence level. The fibers produced also show significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus . Our novel eco-friendly method can be further used to create different metal-coated HNTs, polymer combinations, and metallic implant drug/device combinations for controlled drug release in dental and orthopedic applications.