Coptis chinensis (CC) is used in conventional Chinese medicine. The main active components of CC are isoquinoline alkaloids, including berberine, coptisine, palmatine, and magnoflorine; all these are known to have several pharmacological properties. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a well-known synthetic biocompatible polymer suitable for a range of pharmaceutical uses; it can be used as a matrix for the incorporation of functional materials and has a wide range of applications in the cosmetics, food, pharmaceutical, and packaging industries. In this study, PVA-based electrospun nanofibers containing CC extract were successfully fabricated. Furthermore, the effects of different CC extract contents on the morphologies, and antimicrobial and antifungal properties of PVA/CC extract nanofibers were investigated. Morphological changes were observed using different molecular weights of PVA. For characterization, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared analysis were performed. The effectiveness of these nanofibers has been demonstrated by evaluating the thermal stability against Staphylococcus aureus, antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and the antifungal activity against the fungi Aureobasidium pullulans and Penicillium pinophilum. The PVA/CC extract nanofibers were found to have excellent antibacterial and antifungal activity and thermal stability; hence, their use in medicinal sectors is highly recommended.

The optimum conditions for the fabrication of zein/Ag composite nanoparticles from ethanol/H₂O cosolvents using electrospinning and the properties of the composite were investigated. The zein/Ag nanoparticles were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis. The antibacterial activity of the zein/Ag composite nanoparticles was also investigated. The XRD patterns and TEM images indicate the coexistence of a zein matrix and well-distributed Ag nanoparticles.

Almost general poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films were prepared by the processing of a PVA solution. For the first time, a novel poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) film was prepared by the saponification of a poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) film in a heterogenous medium. Under the same saponification conditions, the influence of saponification time on the degree of saponification (DS) was studied for the preparation of the saponified PVA film, and it was found that the DS varied with time. Optical microscopy was used to confirm the characteristics and surface morphology of the saponified PVA film, revealing unusual black globules in the film structure. The contact angle of the films was measured to study the surface properties, and the results showed that the saponified PVA film had a higher contact angle than the general PVA film. To confirm the transformation of the PVAc film to the PVA film, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were employed.

Hybrid nanobiocomposite films are prepared using a solution casting by incorporating TEMPO cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into an aqueous solution of pullulan (PULL). The presence of CNT is confirmed by XRD characterization, and the prepared film shows an increased degree of crystallinity after the addition of TOCNs and CNT. The maximum degree of crystallinity value is obtained for CNT 0.5 % (59.64%). According to the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the shifts of the characteristic -OH peak of PULL occurred after the addition of TOCNs and aqueous CNT (3306.39 to 3246.90 cm⁻¹), confirming interaction between the TOCNs, CNTs, and PULL matrix. The prepared films show enhanced material properties including higher tensile strength (65.41 MPa at low CNT content (0.5%)), water barrier properties, and reduced moisture susceptibility (5 wt.% CNT shows the lowest value (11.28%)) compared with the neat PULL film. Additionally, the prepared films are almost biodegradable within 64 days and show excellent electrical conductivity (0.001 to 0.015 S/mm for 0.5–5% CNT), which suggests a new approach to transform natural polymers into novel advanced materials for use in the fields of biosensing and electronics.

Sorghum extract was incorporated into zein nanofibers by an electrospinning technique to investigate its effect on the morphologies and thermal properties of zein nanofibers. The as-prepared zein/sorghum extract nanofibers were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction technique. The tensile strength of the prepared nanofibers was measured to investigate their mechanical properties. Anti-bacterial performance tests were also conducted to understand their biological applications. Zein nanofibers were slightly shrunk and crinkled by increased addition of sorghum extract, and the mechanical and thermal properties of the zein nanofibers were improved. Zein nanofibers containing sorghum extract were found to be effective in controlling bacterial growth. Zein/sorghum extract nanofibers might have practical uses in new preservative or medical applications.