Investigation into improving antibacterial performance through incorporation of TiO2 and Curcumin in PAN-based composite nanofibers

Abstract The polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/ TiO₂ nanofiber and PAN/TiO₂/curcumin nanofiber mat containing various concentrations of TiO₂ and curcumin was fabricated using the electrospinning method and tested for its antibacterial performance. The PAN/TiO₂ and PAN/TiO₂/curcumin samples were characterized for structural and morphological analysis. The FT-IR analysis showed the presence of TiO₂ nanoparticles incorporated into PAN nanofibers. This investigation revealed that adding curcumin and TiO₂ NPs in the PAN nanofibers significantly enhances the antibacterial performance. The synergistic effect between curcumin and TiO₂ NPs contributes to this enhanced antibacterial performance, making the nanofibers potential candidates for modifying face masks. Hence our study indicates that low-cost nanofiber-based materials would be excellent modifications for manufacturing of antibacterial face masks.