Incorporation of TiO2 and curcumin in polyacrylonitrile nanofibers for antibacterial applications

Abstract The polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/ TiO 2 nanofiber and PAN/TiO 2 /curcumin nanofiber mat containing various concentrations of TiO 2 and curcumin was fabricated using the electrospinning method and tested for its antibacterial performance. The PAN/TiO 2 and PAN/TiO 2 /curcumin samples were characterized for structural and morphological analysis. The FT-IR analysis showed the presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles incorporated into PAN nanofibers. This investigation revealed that adding curcumin and TiO 2 NPs in the PAN nanofibers significantly enhances the antibacterial performance. The synergistic effect between curcumin and TiO 2 NPs contributes to this enhanced antibacterial performance, making the nanofibers potential candidates for modifying face masks. Hence our study indicates that low-cost nanofiber-based materials would be excellent modifications for manufacturing of antibacterial face masks.