Structure and surface properties of chitosan/PEO/gelatin nanofibrous membrane

Present paper deals with the effect of gelatin on the structure, phase composition, and morphology of the electrospun chitosan/PEO nanofibers. Special attention is paid to the surface chemistry, surface structure and surface morphology of nanocomposite fibers, as these parameters are crucial for biomedical applications and for eventual subsequent surface modification. Gelatin prevents the crystallization of PEO and chitosan and has significant effect on the surface properties of chitosan/PEO/gelatin nanofibers, especially after the cross-linking. During the heating at 130 °C, gelatin appears on the surface of the nanofibers, what results in a large amount of the surface cracks, as well as in the dramatic changes of the surface chemistry and consequently surface adhesion properties. In addition, we observe regions with a continuous gelatin layer between fibers after the cross-linking, what leads to a significant decrease of the porosity of the nanofiber textile. Special attention has been paid to the complex characterization of the structure and surface chemistry of composite nanofibrous materials in order to predict their surface properties, crucial for wound dressing and tissue engineering.