Physicochemical Evaluation of Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol/Keratin/Curcumin Nanofibers

Abstract

Electrospun nanofibers have gained attention for biomedical applications due to their high surface area and extracellular matrix-like structure. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH)-based electrospun nanofibers with keratin and curcumin were fabricated and characterized. The effects of keratin and different curcumin concentrations on morphology, chemical structure, thermal stability, wettability, and mechanical properties of the nanofibers were investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that keratin incorporation noticeably reduced the fiber diameter from 453 nm to 254 nm, while increasing curcumin concentration further decreased the average fiber size from 330 nm to 282 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the successful incorporation of keratin and curcumin into the nanofibers through the presence of characteristic functional groups. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the nanofibers remained predominantly amorphous with the presence of crystalline curcumin domains. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated improved thermal stability after the incorporation of keratin and curcumin. Water contact angle measurements revealed that all nanofibers were hydrophilic, with keratin substantially enhancing wettability. Mechanical analysis showed that keratin improved nanofiber flexibility, while curcumin influenced the balance between strength and elongation. The developed PVOH/keratin/curcumin nanofibers exhibited promising physicochemical and mechanical properties for biomedical applications.