Physically crosslinked PVA/graphene-based materials/aloe vera hydrogel with antibacterial activity

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Burns are significant global injuries requiring advanced wound care.
• Hydrogel dressings are crucial for second-degree burns, needing antibacterial and cytocompatible properties.
• Electrical stimulation can enhance wound healing alongside dressings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a novel antibacterial and cytocompatible hydrogel for wound dressing applications.
• To utilize polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), graphene-based material (GBM), and aloe vera extract (Av) via a freeze-thaw process.
• To evaluate the hydrogel's physical, electrical, mechanical, stability, antibacterial, and cytocompatible properties.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PVA/GBM/Av hydrogels using the freeze-thaw method.
• Assessment of hydrophilicity (contact angle), electrical conductivity, and tensile strength.
• Evaluation of stability in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and antibacterial activity against *Staphylococcus aureus*.
• Cytocompatibility testing using 3T3 fibroblast cells.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel exhibited excellent hydrophilicity (15-31° contact angle) and electrical conductivity (0.0102-0.0154 S m⁻¹).
• Mechanical properties included tensile strength up to 1.5 MPa and 405% elongation, with good stability (73-80% weight ratio after 14 days in PBS).
• Significant inhibition of *Staphylococcus aureus* growth was observed (99.94% reduction with PVA/GO), and PVA/GO/Av showed no cytotoxicity to fibroblast cells (up to 295% viability).

Conclusions:

• The fabricated PVA/GBM/Av hydrogels demonstrate potential as effective wound dressings.
• The hydrogels possess desirable antibacterial and non-cytotoxic characteristics for enhanced burn treatment.
• The combination of PVA, GBM, and Av offers a promising platform for advanced wound care materials.