Antimicrobial gelatin nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles

Gelatin is one of the most promising biomaterials due to its excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. In order to improve the antimicrobial activity of gelatin, gelatin nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles were prepared by electrospinning gelatin/AgNO₃/formic acid system, followed by UV irradiation. They were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was observed that the silver nanoparticles, which presented quasi-sphere shaped and 9–20 nm average diameters, were generated on the surface of the gelatin nanofibers. The size of the silver particles can be adjusted by changing the content of AgNO₃. With increasing the amount of AgNO₃, the average diameters of fibers decreased. The gelatin-Ag nanocomposites were found effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. From these results, it is expected that the electrospun antimicrobial gelatin nanofiber mat can be used as an excellent wound dressing.