Novel cellulose based materials for safe and efficient wound treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Chemistry
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Simultaneous hydrophilicity and antimicrobial properties are crucial for advanced wound dressings but rarely achieved.
• Viscose fibers offer a promising base material for wound dressing development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel wound dressing materials with improved hydrophilicity and microorganism inhibition.
• To compare two modification pathways for viscose fibers: a two-step and a one-step plasma treatment with silver chloride nanoparticle attachment.

Main Methods:

• Surface modification of viscose fibers via alkaline/oxygen plasma or ammonium plasma treatments.
• Attachment of silver chloride nanoparticles.
• Characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Evaluation of in vitro silver release, hydrophilicity, and antimicrobial activity (AATCC 100-1999 standard).

Main Results:

• Both modification procedures resulted in excellent hydrophilicity.
• Antimicrobial activity was demonstrated against Gram-negative bacteria.
• Gram-positive bacteria showed survival on the treated samples.
• The one-step ammonium plasma treatment achieved both hydrophilicity and antimicrobial effects simultaneously.

Conclusions:

• The developed procedures show potential for creating advanced wound dressings with dual functionalities.
• Further research is encouraged for clinical validation and optimization against a broader spectrum of bacteria.