Electrospun Hydrophobic Nanofiber Films from Biodegradable Zein and Curcumin with Improved Tensile Strength for Air Filtration

Zein as a natural protein had been widely used in various fields due to its biodegradability and biocompatibility. However, sensitivity humidity poor mechanical performance limited application practice. In this study, zein-based composite nanofibers loaded with curcumin were prepared by electrospinning assisted polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The filtration efficiency of the modified particles diameters larger than 0.5 μm was all above 98%. interacted molecular chains form network structure within tightly connected nanofibers, which exhibited excellent moisture resistance good adhesion cellulose paper towels air filter substrates. Meanwhile, tensile strength also enhanced vastly 0.72 MPa compared initial 0.21 MPa. This study provides new strategy for preparation that can be utilized high resistance.