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Collagen, as the major structural protein of the extracellular matrix in animals, is a versatile biomaterial of great interest in various engineering applications. Electrospun nanofibers of collagen are regarded as very promising materials for tissue engineering applications because they can reproduce the morphology of the natural bone but have as a drawback a poor structural consistency in wet conditions. In this paper, a comparative study between the performance of different cross-linking methods such as a milder enzymatic treatment procedure using transglutaminase, the use of N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide, and genipin, and the use of a physical method based on exposure to ultraviolet light was carried out. The chemical and enzymatic treatments provided, in this order, excellent consistency, morphology, cross-linking degree, and osteoblast viability for the collagen nanofibers. Interestingly, the enzymatically cross-linked collagen mats, which are considered to be a more biological treatment, promoted adequate cell adhesion, making the biomaterial biocompatible and with an adequate degree of porosity for cell seeding and in-growth.

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The electrospinning technology opens up enormous possibilities for the implementation of bio‐based materials and food hydrocolloids in numerous applications. In this context, chitosan is a sustainable, biocompatible, biodegradable, antimicrobial and non‐toxic polysaccharide of great relevance in many fields of application. Because of its abundance in nature and excellent biocompatibility, the cationic polysaccharide chitosan is a very promising polymer for producing functional nanofibers. Although the material has good physicochemical properties, the electrospinning of the polymer is far from easy. In the current study, the effect of an unprecedented number of parameters (including solvent nature, polymer origin, molecular weight and spinning conditions) on morphology is reported. The work also aims to ascertain the antimicrobial properties of the generated biofibers of chitosan and relate them to its chemical structure. Finally, a new route is provided to generate chitosan based nanoporous structures starting from blends of chitosan and polylactic acid.