Background: Electrospun zein-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) mats are of interest for skin wound dressing applications, but PVP’s water solubility raises concerns about their interaction with water.
Methods: In this study, electrospun zein/PVP scaffolds were treated with sodium alginate followed by CaCl₂, and compared with an unmodified control. Zein content, total polymer concentration, and collector speed were first screened by optical microscopy. A collector speed of 500 rpm was then selected for the base scaffold because it gave a higher strain at break and more uniform fibers than the 1500-rpm speed, with similar tensile strength.
Results: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that after the alginate/CaCl₂ treatment, aggregates appeared at fiber crossings and pore openness was reduced. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) detected calcium and chlorine only in the CaCl₂-treated group, and the water contact angle (WCA) decreased from about 76° in the base scaffold to about 42° after treatment. In PBS, the zein/PVP scaffold remained visually intact for 48 h, and its apparent water content, calculated from the initial dry weight, was 88–95% from 3 h onward, compared to that of the modified scaffold (65–79%).
Conclusion: Therefore, alginate/CaCl₂ treatment increased wettability but lowered the apparent water content. No cell or wet-state mechanical data were obtained. Hence, its suitability for skin tissue engineering or wound dressing use remains to be established.