Morphological Study of Chitosan/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Nanofibers Prepared by Electrospinning, Collected on Reticulated Vitreous Carbon

In this work, chitosan (CS)/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers were prepared by using the electrospinning method. Different CS concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 wt %), maintaining the PVA concentration at 8 wt %, were tested. Likewise, the studied electrospinning experimental parameters were: syringe/collector distance, solution flow and voltage. Subsequently, the electrospun fibers were collected on a reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) support for 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 h. The morphology and diameter of the CS/PVA nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), finding diameters in the order of 132 and 212 nm; the best results (uniform fibers) were obtained from the solution with 2 wt % of chitosan and a voltage, distance, and flow rate of 16 kV, 20 cm, and 0.13 mL/h, respectively. Afterwards, a treatment with an ethanolic NaOH solution was performed, observing a change in the fiber morphology and a diameter decrease (117 +/- 9 nm).