Simply Electrospun Gelatin/Cellulose Acetate Nanofibers and their Physico-Chemical Characteristics

Abstract

Gelatin in fibers form can be used for tissue engineering, wound dressing, or drug carrier. However, it is easily damaged if exposed to water. Thus, it was blended with cellulose acetate. Acetic acid was used as a solvent because it is less toxic. The mass ratios of gelatin to cellulose acetate of 10:0, 8:2, and 6:4 were as precursor solutions. Simple electrospinning was employed to produce gelatin/cellulose acetate fibers. From SEM images, it was shown that the average diameters of gelatin/cellulose acetate fibers from the precursor solutions of 10:0, 8:2, and 6:4 were 534, 649, and 765 nm, respectively. The addition of cellulose acetate increased the viscosity of gelatin/cellulose acetate solution. Moreover, gelatin mass reduction caused a decrease in conductivity of gelatin/cellulose acetate solution. Therefore, increasing in the viscosity or reducing in the conductivity of the precursor solution increased the average diameter of the gelatin/cellulose acetate fibers. The analysis of FTIR spectra showed that the structural changes of gelatin and cellulose acetate occurred after being transformed into gelatin/cellulose acetate nanofibers.