A study on the preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles

In this study, two practical methods for the facile and controlled preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers containing Ag nanoparticles were investigated for use in antimicrobial applications. In the first method, PVA nanofibers containing Ag nanoparticles were successfully electrospun from PVA/silver nitrate (AgNO3) aqueous solutions after first refluxing them. The Ag nanoparticles in the PVA/AgNO3 aqueous solutions were generated by refluxing them. Interestingly, it was found that the Ag nanoparticles were also spontaneously generated during the electrospinning process. In the second method, Ag nanoparticles were generated by annealing the PVA nanofibers electrospun from PVA/AgNO3 aqueous solutions. Residual Ag+ ions and the Ag nanoparticles generated during the electrospinning process in the PVA nanofibers were diffused and aggregated into larger Ag nanoparticles during the annealing process. All of the Ag nanoparticles were sphere shaped and evenly distributed in the PVA nanofibers prepared by the two methods.