Chitosan-Grafted Polycaprolactone Nanofibers for Inhibiting <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> Biofilm Formation

Biofilm-related bacterial illnesses pose a substantial healthcare concern because chronic and recurrent infections can result from antibiotic resistance. Infections from implanted medical devices are frequently caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci, particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis. Biofilms, which develop on a variety of surfaces, are structured microbial communities wrapped in a protective extracellular matrix. To produce hybrid nanofibers that inhibit biofilm formation, Polycaprolactone (PCL) and chitosan (CS), CS-graft-PCL (CS-g-PCL) copolymers and PCL polymer were synthesized and characterized with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR), Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Nanofibers of PCL and its Blends with cpolymers were produced and characterized and characterized. The formation of S. epidermidis biofilm on the surface of nanofiber matrices was investigated. PCL shows the highest biofilm formation on the first day due to its hydrophobic structure. In nanofibers containing 25%, 50%, and 75% of CS (copolymer I), biofilm formation is lower compared to PCL on the first day and decreases with the increase in CS amount. These findings highlight the potential of hybrid nanofiber films to use as anti-biofilm surfaces, pathogenic bacteria detection, medical devices and antimicrobial coatings for wound dressings, medical implants, catheters, and biosensor membranes.