Chiang Mai Journal of Science

Ultrafine fibrous matrices of regenerated cellulose (RC) of varying degrees of acetylation were facilely prepared from alkaline hydrolysis of electrospun cellulose acetate (CA; acetyl content » 40%) fiber mats. The alkaline treatment was carried out in 0.1 N NaOH solution in 4:1 v/v water/ethanol mixture at 25 ± 1 °C for periods of up to 24 h, after the CA fiber mats had been thermally treated at 208 °C for 1 h. After having been treated in the NaOH solution for 10 min, 30 min, and 24 h, the resulting CA-based fibrous matrices exhibited the acetyl contents of about 24, 11, and 4%, respectively. Indirect cytotoxicity evaluation of these CA-based fibrous matrices against human fibroblasts (HFF) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT) indicated that they posed no threat to the cells. The direct culture of the cells on their surfaces suggested that these fibrous matrices only supported the short term culture of both types of cells (i.e., 1 d), while the neat and the 24 h-alkaline treated CA-based fibrous matrices exhibited marginally good support for the proliferation of HaCaT.