Electrospinning β-cyclodextrin/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous membrane for molecular capture

A novel β-cyclodextrin/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous membrane (β-CD/PVAnfm) with the function of molecular capture was successfully prepared by electrospinning homogeneous aqueous solutions of β-CD and PVA. β-CD/PVAnfm was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The viscosity of β-CD/PVA solution was increased with the concentration of β-CD and high viscosity of β-CD/PVA solution was beneficial to form more uniform nanofibers. The interaction between β-CD and PVA in the solution was studied by rheological measure and 1H NMR spectra. The rheological change of electrospinning solutions was attributed to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between β-CD and PVA in the solution, which was confirmed by 1H NMR spectra. The electrochemical measurement showed that β-CD/PVAnfm could recognize small hydrophobic molecules such as ferrocene (Fc) by forming inclusion complexes. The molecular capturing ability of β-CD/PVAnfm was increased with the amount of β-CD in composite nanofibrous membrane. The results suggested that the composite nanofibrous membrane was potentially applied to purification/separation processes, electrochemical sensor, drug delivery, and so on.