Visible light active nanofibrous membrane for antibacterial wound dressing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Chemistry
• Photocatalysis

Background:

• Chronic wound infections pose significant challenges due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.
• Development of novel antibacterial therapies is crucial for effective wound management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel photoactive hydrogel nanofibrous membrane for visible light-induced disinfection.
• To create an advanced wound dressing with antibacterial properties and high cytocompatibility.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized photoactive conjugated microporous polymer nanoparticles via miniemulsion polymerization.
• Embedded nanoparticles in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel nanofibers using colloid-electrospinning.
• Crosslinked fibers to achieve water insolubility and evaluated antibacterial efficacy against E. coli and B. subtilis.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel membranes demonstrated visible light-induced photocatalytic disinfection through singlet oxygen generation.
• Effective inactivation of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and inhibition of biofilm formation were observed.
• Cytotoxicity tests confirmed high cytocompatibility with fibroblast cells, and membranes exhibited good mechanical properties.

Conclusions:

• The developed photoactive hydrogel membranes show promise as active wound dressing materials.
• The nanoparticle-in-nanofiber structure offers a flexible platform for combining material properties.
• This technology provides a potential solution for treating chronic wound infections, especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.