from the conferences organized by TANGER Ltd.
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) electrospun nanofibers are promising for use in protective clothing due to their non-toxic character, large surface area, high porosity, and chemical resistance. Incorporation of nanoparticle (NPs) into polymeric nanofibers can provide them with additional functionalities, such as antimicrobial, chemical or radiation protection. In this study, PAN nanofibers were functionalized with various photocatalytic NPs, namely with 15% TiO₂, CeO₂, Er₂O₃, or WO₃, to produce multifunctional hybrid materials. FTIR, SEM, and TGA were used to verify morphology and the presence of NPs within the fibers. Given their potential use in skin-contact textiles (e.g., masks, protective garments), we performed an in vitro biocompatibility evaluation. Murine 3T3 embryonic fibroblasts were exposed to 24-hour leachates obtained from nanofibers incubated in cell culture medium, and to controls (PAN and cell culture medium). After 24- and 72-hour incubation, cell viability, morphology, and metabolic activity were assessed by live/dead fluorescence staining, light microscopy, and MTS assay, respectively. All samples maintained > 70% cell viability compared to control cells, indicating the absence of cytotoxicity. Dynamic light scattering analysis did not show release of NPs from fibers into distilled water nor phosphate buffer saline. Altogether, these results demonstrate that hybrid PAN nanofibers with incorporated TiO₂, CeO2, Er₂O₃, or WO₃ NPs are biocompatible and stable, supporting their potential for use in protective materials designed for direct skin contact.
Keywords: Hybrid Nanofibers, TiO₂, CeO2, Er₂O₃, WO₃, Cytotoxicity, DLS© This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.