Bactericidal efficacy of electrospun rosin/poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofibers

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-containing rosin nanofibers were prepared via electrospinning technique for biomedical applications. To improve the biocompatibility properties, rosin was blended into PCL to prepare nanofibers. Nanofibers mats were prepared with different concentrations of rosin. The morphology, structure, and thermal properties of the resultant PCL/rosin nanofibers were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetry (TGA) analysis. SEM images revealed that the nanofibers were well-oriented and had good incorporation of rosin. FTIR results indicated the various bonding groups of PCL/rosin nanofibers with stable structure. TGA analysis revealed that the onset degradation temperature was decreased with increasing rosin content in the nanofibers. The bactericidal activity of PCL/rosin nanofibers was also investigated. These results indicate that the PCL blended with rosin nanofibers can be utilized as a promising candidate material for many biomedical applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]