Collagen-reinforced polystyrene/polycaprolactone membranes with nickel oxide nanoparticles: Enhanced mechanical, thermal, and antibacterial properties for antibacterial applications

Electrospinning technology was employed to fabricate a novel composite membrane integrating collagen from Peruvian squid skin with polystyrene (PS), polycaprolactone (PCL), and green-synthesized nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles (PS/PCL/CO/NiO). The addition of collagen (CO) and NiO nanoparticles significantly enhanced the membrane's hydrophobicity, as evidenced by an increase in the water contact angle from 124.8 +/- 0.6 degrees to 131.2 +/- 1.2 degrees. Mechanical properties showed substantial improvement, with tensile strength increasing by 86% (from 5.05 +/- 1.6 MPa to 9.39 +/- 1.4 MPa) and elongation at break improving by 48% compared to conventional NiO membranes. Thermal analysis indicated increased stability, with a higher endothermic peak and an enthalpy increase from 6.885 J/g to 8.584 J/g. Antibacterial assays revealed strong efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, reducing bacterial growth by over 90%. The enhanced hydrophobicity, mechanical strength, thermal stability, and antibacterial activity of PS/PCL/CO/NiO membranes make them highly promising for applications in tissue engineering, wound dressings, and water treatment. (c) 2024 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.