Investigating silver- and gold-functionalized electrospun PHBV fibers as dual-action antimicrobial and immunomodulatory biomaterials

Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Electrospun PCL-Silver Fibers Coupled with Chromogenic Hydrogel for Infection Sensing

Injectable Electrospun Hydrogel with Antimicrobial, pH Sensing Nanoparticles for Local Infection Control and Monitoring

Enhancing multifunctional electrospun polycaprolactone/chitosan nanofibers using ferric oxide nanoparticles for biomedical and flexible optoelectronic applications

In this study, composite nanofibers based on polycaprolactone (PCL)/chitosan (CS)/iron oxide (Fe2O3) were successfully fabricated. Although PCL and CS polymers are biodegradable, their applications are limited in fields requiring enhanced functional properties. The incorporating Fe2O3 nanoparticles overcomes these limitations, allowing for the production of materials with optical and electrical properties, as well as antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. Electrospun nanofibers were synthesized using electrospinning. Adding Fe2O3 nanoparticles to PCL-CS polymers improves optical and electrical properties, as well as antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Optical properties improve with increasing Fe2O3 nanoparticle content, including the energy gap, absorbance, and refractive index. Electrical conductivity increases with increasing Fe2O3 nanoparticle content and temperature. Antibacterial activity increases with increasing nanoparticle content, demonstrating effectiveness against both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, accompanied by larger inhibition zones. Additionally, free-radical scavenging and fungal inhibition are enhanced. This PCL-CS/6% Fe2O3 hybrid compound offers potential as an alternative to engineered medical tissues for antimicrobial applications.

Antimicrobial nanocomposite films based on MOF-embedded copper nanoclusters for fruit preservation.

The proliferation of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria poses a severe threat to food safety and public health, driving the urgent need for advanced packaging solutions that go beyond conventional methods. Herein, we present a nanocomposite film engineered to tackle this challenge. Its active core is a rationally designed CuNCs@ZIF-67/CNF composite, where copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) are embedded in a ZIF-67 matrix and anchored onto chitosan nanofibers (CNF). This design enables synergy: CNF captures bacteria, ZIF-67 provides sustained ion release, and CuNCs generate reactive oxygen species, jointly disrupting biofilms, membranes, and metabolism. The composite demonstrates exceptional, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, achieving >99% inactivation against Gram-positive/negative bacteria and key MDR pathogens like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Processed into a polyvinyl alcohol film, it shows excellent flexibility, strength, and biocompatibility. In practical tests on cherry tomatoes, the film effectively inhibited MDR bacteria on surfaces, reduced weight loss to <6% (control >25%), and preserved freshness over 7 days. This work offers a high-performance, sustainable strategy for next-generation active food packaging to combat spoilage and antimicrobial resistance.

Comparative Evaluation of Silver, Neem, and Chitosan-Loaded PVA-CMC Electrospun Nanofibrous Mats for Potential Antibacterial Application

Electrospinning has emerged as a versatile and efficient technique for producing antibacterial nanofibrous mats by enabling the incorporation of various bioactive agents into polymeric fiber systems. In this study, nanofibrous mats based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) polymers were successfully fabricated with the inclusion of three different Antibacterial Agents, Namely Chitosan, Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs), and ethanolic extract of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf. The electrospinning solutions were prepared using a fixed volumetric ratio (PVA:CMC:antibacterial additive) in order to establish a comparative evaluation of structural and antibacterial performance under identical conditions. Synthesized AgNPs exhibited a narrower particle size distribution, confirming uniform nanoparticle formation. SEM images revealed the formation of continuous, randomly oriented nanofibrous networks. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups of the antibacterial agents without significant alteration of the base polymeric structures. The agar disk diffusion method was employed to evaluate antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and the results demonstrated that AgNPs-loaded mats exhibited the highest inhibition zones, followed by neem-loaded mats, while chitosan showed comparatively lower activity. Overall, this study highlights the comparative effectiveness of incorporating different antibacterial agents into PVA-CMC polymer-based nanofibers.

Synergistic Antimicrobial Action of Green-synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Functionalized with Cetylpyridinium Chloride

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has a broad-spectrum of antimicrobial properties. The synergistic effect could add therapeutic potential because AgNPs are functionalized with cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), a member of quaternary ammonium groups. The present study focuses on the synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of silver CPC-coated silver nanoparticles (CPC AgNPs) concerning the design of antibacterial agents on common oral and opportunistic pathogens. The plant-based silver nanoparticles were synthesized by green synthesis to obtain CPC-AgNPs and then the CPC was coated at different ratios (1:1 to 1:5). UV Visible spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed to establish nanoparticle formation and the interaction of functional groups with the formulations. The antimicrobial effect was evaluated by applying the agar well method against Candida albicans, Lactobacillus sp., Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. Based on the FTIR analysis, FTIR demonstrated the presence of functional groups like hydroxyl, amine and aromatic functional groups that had an active role in the stabilization of nanoparticles and their interaction with CPC. UV–Visible spectroscopy showed a characteristic SPR peak around 350–370 nm, with increased absorbance over time, confirming nanoparticle formation and stability, particularly after 32 hours. CPC-AgNPs exhibited an increased antimicrobial effect over CPC in general and against C. albicans and S. aureus in particular. The 1:5 proportions showed the greatest area of inhibition (25 mm against C. albicans and 21 mm against S. aureus) which means that it was dose dependent. The CPC-AgNPs formulation was found to have synergistic, concentration related antimicrobial action. CPC-conjugated AgNPs afforded efficient and stable antimicrobial active components. These results favour the use of CPC-AgNPs in oral care, wound healing and infection control processes and justify further research in terms of cytotoxicity and inhibition of biofilm.