Crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose colloidal solution for cotton thread coating in wound dressing: A rheological...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Cotton thread possesses potential as a wound dressing material.
• Enhancing its mechanical and antibacterial properties is crucial for effective wound management.
• Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and various nanoparticles (NPs) offer promising avenues for material functionalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the stability and rheological properties of carboxymethyl cellulose-nanoparticle (CMC/NP) colloidal solutions.
• To functionalize cotton threads with CMC/NPs for enhanced wound dressing applications.
• To evaluate the mechanical and antibacterial efficacy of the functionalized cotton threads.

Main Methods:

• Preparation and characterization of CMC/NP colloidal solutions using rheological analysis and UV-Vis spectroscopy.
• Crosslinking of CMC/NP solutions onto cotton threads using citric acid.
• Assessment of mechanical properties and antibacterial activity of the coated cotton threads.

Main Results:

• CMC/NP colloidal solutions demonstrated stability with reduced nanoparticle agglomeration.
• Rheological studies indicated shear-thinning, non-Newtonian behavior (n < 1) for CMC/NPs.
• Crosslinked CMC/NPs exhibited increased viscoelasticity, forming a gel-like state.
• CMC/AgNP coatings significantly enhanced mechanical strength and antibacterial activity (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The stability and rheological properties of CMC/NPs influence coating characteristics.
• Functionalized cotton threads show potential as advanced wound dressing materials.
• CMC/AgNP coatings offer a promising approach for developing effective antibacterial wound dressings.