Green synthesis of electrospun composite material loaded with ultrasmall Ag nanoparticles

Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) are recognized for their excellent antibacterial properties and low toxicity, making them ideal for biomedical applications. Combining AgNPs with electrospun polyethersulfone (PES) has significant potential owing to the structural advantages of electrospun fibers and the antimicrobial efficiency of AgNPs. The biological activity of metal nanoparticles is often closely related to their size, with smaller particles generally exhibiting higher efficacy. However, existing synthesis methods tend to produce larger AgNPs, which limits their potential. In this study, electrospun PES was used as a support matrix to prepare an Ag nanoparticle (NP)-PES electrospun composite in which the majority of AgNPs measured under 60 mm in diameter. Bacteriostatic experiments revealed that this AgNP-PES electrospun composite possessed effective antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli (gram-negative bacteria) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive bacteria). The enhanced antibacterial activity was attributed to the small size of the AgNPs. Moreover, cytotoxicity tests confirmed that the electrospun composite was non-toxic to cells. Animal experiments showed that the AgNP-PES electrospun composite significantly promoted wound healing, particularly in burn wounds infected with S. aureus . More importantly, the preparation process was environmentally friendly, relying solely on sunlight as the energy source. Thus, the AgNP-PES electrospun composite shows significant potential for medical applications.