Influence of electrospinning synthesis parameters and inclusion of hydroxyapatite in the properties of chitosan nanofibers.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of synthesis parameters and inclusion of hydroxyapatite in the properties of electrospun.
Methods: Films of chitosan was made by electrospinning, under different parameters of distance from the syringe tip and the collector (10 and 12cm), voltages (12 and 15kV) and flow rate (0,3 and 0,5ml/h). There were made two solutions: Ch, 0.7g of chitosan powder dissolved at 10ml of TFA/DCM (70:30) and Ch-Ha, a similar solution were added 0.05g of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. Each sample, from each group, that were obtained nanofibers formation from the combination of the synthesis parameters wer analyzed by SEM. The presence of beads formation were verify and nanofibers diameter were analyzed through a software Image J (Versão 1.44o, National Public of Health) with SEM images. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was used to analyse the surface topography of the samples.
Results: Ch showed the presence of beads formation in the samples that were increased the flow rate (0,5ml/h). Ch-Ha showed beads formation for all samples. The decrease of the mean diameters was also verify in Ch-Ha (341,76±21nm) in comparison to Ch (810,39±22nm).The AFM analysis showed that Ch presents more homogeneous nanofibers surface.
Conclusions: The flow rate influence on the beads formation. And the adittion of hydroxyapatite also influence the beads formation, the diameter of the chitosan nanofibers and the surface topography.