Tuning the properties of carboxymethylchitosan-based porous membranes for potential application as wound dressing

Wound repair is a complex process that calls for strategies to allow a rapid and effective regeneration of injured skin, which has stimulated the research of advanced wound dressings. Herein, highly porous membranes of N,O-carboxymethylchitosan (CMCh), and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were successfully prepared via a green and facile freeze-drying method of blend solutions containing CMCh/PVA at weight ratio 25/75. Membranes composed only by CMCh were also prepared and genipin was used for crosslinking. Different contents of TiO₂ nanoparticles were incorporated to both type of membranes, which were characterized in terms of morphology, porosity (Φ), swelling capacity (S.C.), mechanical properties, susceptibility to lysozyme degradation and in vitro cytotoxicity toward human fibroblast (HDFn) and keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells. Larger apparent pores were observed in the surface of the genipin-crosslinked CMCh membrane, which resulted in higher porosity (Φ ≈ 76%) and swelling capacity (S.C. ≈ 1720%) as compared to CMCh/PVA membrane (Φ ≈ 68%; S.C. ≈ 1660%). The porosity of both types of membranes decreased upon the addition of TiO₂ nanoparticles while swelling capacity increased. Due to their high porosity and swelling capacity, adequate mechanical properties, controlled degradability, and cytocompatibility, such carboxymethylchitosan-based membranes are potentially useful as wound dressings.