Preparation of polyethylene oxide/chitosan fiber membranes by electrospinning and the evaluation of biocompatibility

Chitosan is an excellent material for medical use because it is nontoxic, has good biocompatibility, exhibits antimicrobial activity, supports the healing of wounds, etc. Electrospinning yields nanofibers which have wide applications, such as high-performance filters, biomaterial scaffolds for vascular grafts or wound dressings, etc. In this investigation, electrospinning was performed in an electric field of 0.6 kV/cm with a polyethylene oxide to chitosan ratio of 60:40. The polymer nanofibers had diameters that ranged from a few nanometers to several micrometers (approximately 30 nm).