Electrospraying Fabrication and Characterization of Low Molecular Weight Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Silver Composite Nanospheres for Antibacterial Applications

Low molecular weight poly(vinyl alcohol) (LMW-PVA)/silver (Ag) composite nanospheres were prepared using an electrospraying technique by controlling the concentration of PVA solution. Since PVA is water-soluble and biocompatible, it is one of the best polymers for preparation of antibacterial materials. The composite nanospheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and antibacterial activity measurement. The LMW-PVA/Ag composite nanospheres had ∼350 nm average diameter and showed powerful antibacterial ability.