The　drug-loaded　polyvinyl　alcohol　(PVA)/chitosan　(CS)　composite　nanofibers　intended　to　be　used　as　matrix　for　transdermal　drug　delivery　were　fabricated　by　electrospinning,　and　then　crosslinked　through　glulataraldehyde　(GA).　The　morphology,　chemical　structure,　thermal　behavior,　mechanical　properties,　hydrophilicity　and　drug　release　properties　of　drug-loaded　PVA/CS　composite　nanofibers　before　and　after　crosslinking　were　characterized.　The　results　showed　that　the　morphology　of　PVA/CS　composite　nanofibers　was　not　been　destroyed　in　both　crosslinking　and　in　vitro　drug　release　process.　The　Young＇s　modulus,　tensile　strength,　thermal　properties　and　hydrophobicity　of　crosslinked　PVA/CS　composite　nanofibers　significantly　increased　in　comparison　with　those　of　PVA/CS　(without　crosslinking)　due　to　the　formation　of　crosslinking　network　structure.　In　vitro　release　studies　showed　that　crosslinked　PVA/CS　composite　nanofibers　had　lower　drug　release　rate　and　smaller　amount　of　drug　burst　release　than　that　of　PVA/CS.　According　to　release　exponent　＇n＇,　the　release　of　ampicillin　sodium　from　crosslinked　PVA/CS　composite　nanofibers　fit　to　the　Fickian　diffusion　mechanism.　Those　results　demonstrate　the　potential　utilization　of　crosslinked　PVA/CS　composite　nanofibers　as　a　transdermal　drug　delivery　system.　©　2017　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.