Fabrication and Antibacterial Performances Study of Highly Flexible and Hydrophilic Poly-L-lactic Acid / Montmorillonite Composite Nanofiber Membranes

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) fibrous materials have been widely applied in biomedical and packaging fields due to biodegradability and biocompatibility. However, practical use is often restricted by inherent drawbacks such as poor antibacterial activity, high brittleness and inferior hydrophilicity. This study prepared PLLA/O-CUR composite nanofiber membranes by incorporating curcumin-loaded organically modified montmorillonite (O-CUR) into a PLLA matrix to overcome these limitations. The structure and morphology of the resulting membranes were characterized using FTIR, XPS, EDS and SEM. The results demonstrated remarkable enhancement in mechanical properties, with elongation at break increased by 200%, along with significantly improved hydrophilicity, evidenced by a water contact angle of 43°. Furthermore, the resultant nanofiber membrane achieved a 100% bacterial inhibition rate against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) and Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), showing complete suppression of bacterial proliferation. The enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic effect between the natural antibacterial property of CUR and the layered structure of modified MMT. Moreover, the nanofibrous membrane undergoes progressive degradation within 64 days in PBS and within 35 days in soil, achieving synergistic integration of functionality and biodegradability. This work presents a feasible strategy for developing multifunctional PLLA-based materials, demonstrating promising potential for use in active food packaging, wound dressings, and antimicrobial textiles.