Chiang Mai Journal of Science

In the present contribution, ultra-fine zein fibers were successfully prepared by electrospinning. The diameters of  these fibers ranged between 0.32 and 1.10  μm. Cross-linked electrospun zein fiber mats were prepared by adding varying quantities of glyoxal aqueous solution (i.e., 0, 5, 10 and 15% v/v based on the volume of the zein solution) into the base zein solution (i.e, 40% w/v). Mechanical properties of the electrospun zein fiber mats were evidently improved by the cross-linking with glyoxal. The fibrous nature of the crosslinked materials was preserved even after submersion in distilled water at room temperature (i.e., 25 +/- 1^oC) or 37^oC for 5 d. The potential for use of the cross-linked electrospun zein fiber mats as scaffolding materials for cell/tissue culture was assessed with indirect cytotoxicity evaluation with mouse fibroblasts (L929) and direct culture with human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF). It was found that an increase in the amount of glyoxal used to cross-link the materials caused the cross-linked materials to be more toxic, but this can be alleviated by pre-treatment of  the cross-linked electrospun zein fiber mats in a glycine aqueous solution. Finally, the culture of HFF on some of the cross-linked fiber mat samples for 5 d showed that the cells grew well on the materials.