A superelastic, biofluid-locking, and degradable dressing for wound healing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Chemistry
• Wound Care Innovation

Background:

• Superelastic and highly absorbent aerogels are needed for sensitive wounds with persistent exudations.
• Current superelastic polyurethane (PU) dressings raise environmental concerns during preparation and disposal.
• There is a need for advanced wound dressings that are both effective and eco-friendly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, environmentally friendly hierarchical aerogel wound dressing using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).
• To evaluate the superelasticity, absorbency, and wound healing efficacy of the developed CMC aerogel.
• To compare the performance of the CMC aerogel dressing against commercial wound care products.

Main Methods:

• Hierarchical aerogels were constructed using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) via a dual-crosslinking and porogen leaching method.
• The mechanical properties (superelasticity) and liquid absorption capabilities were assessed.
• In vivo and in vitro degradation studies were performed, alongside wound healing assessments.

Main Results:

• The hierarchical CMC (H-CMC) aerogel exhibited multi-scale stress dispersion, leading to superelasticity.
• H-CMC demonstrated superior bioliquid absorption due to hierarchical porous surfaces and hydrophilic groups.
• The H-CMC dressing showed enhanced absorbency compared to PU foam and faster wound healing than commercial CMC fiber dressings.
• Complete in vivo and in soil degradation was observed for the H-CMC dressing.

Conclusions:

• A universal method for designing hierarchical wound dressings from bio-based polyelectrolytes was established.
• The developed H-CMC aerogel dressing is highly absorbent, superelastic, environmentally friendly, and promotes faster wound healing.
• This research presents a sustainable and comfortable alternative for sensitive wound management.