Antimicrobial nitrile gloves coated by electrospun trimethylated chitosan-loaded polyvinyl alcohol ultrafine fibers

Abstract

© 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. The electrospun trimethylated chitosan (TMC)-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVAl) ultrafine fibers with diameters of 70–175 nm were successfully coated on nitrile gloves. The fibers were produced using aqueous TMC mixed with PVAl solutions with a fiber collection distance set at 12 cm. The applied electrical voltages (12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 kV) and the ratios between TMC and PVAl (2:10 and 4:8 % w/v) were varied. It was found that they did not affect the diameter of the fibers, but they did the uniformity of the fibers. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that the only condition giving the uniform fibers was 4 % w/v TMC blended with 8 % w/v PVAl spinning mixture and a voltage of 16 kV. The fiber-coated gloves showed the antimicrobial characteristics against the Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacterbaumannii) and yeast (Candida albicans), the improved surface roughness from 429 to 511 μm2, and the enhanced wettability.