Antibacterial activity of polyacrylonitrile–chitosan electrospun nanofibers

•Polyacrylonitrile–chitosan electrospun nanofibers were manufactured.•Chitosan was blended uniformly throughout the PAN matrix up to 50wt%.•Alteration of Tg of PAN after blending with chitosan indicated molecular interaction.•The PAN–chitosan electrospun nanofibers inactivated some bacteria.•The PAN–chitosan nanofibers possessed higher antibacterial activities than film. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)–chitosan double-face films and nanofibers were manufactured. PAN and a chitosan salt were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide, and then thin-layered on a glass plate or electro-spun followed by coagulation in sodium hydroxide solution. The morphology of the PAN–chitosan double-face films and nanofibers was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The thermal behavior and the glass transition temperature of PAN–chitosan blends were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, respectively. The antibacterial efficacy was measured by a swatch test with bacterial suspensions. The PAN–chitosan nanofibers produced a 5-log reduction against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus luteus.