Antibacterial and Temperature-Regulating Cellulose Fibers for Enhanced Wound Healing and Infection Control

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Textile Science

Background:

• Multifunctional textiles with antimicrobial and thermal-regulatory properties are crucial for wound care and personal protection.
• Existing materials often lack the combined efficacy required for advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel Lyocell fibers with integrated antibacterial and thermal-regulatory functionalities.
• To evaluate the performance of these functional fibers in vitro and in vivo for wound healing applications.

Main Methods:

• Covalent grafting of aloin onto Lyocell fibers.
• Integration of graphene oxide (GO) and phase-change microcapsules (PCMs) into the fiber structure.
• Characterization of fiber morphology, thermal properties, mechanical strength, and antibacterial efficacy.
• In vivo study using Staphylococcus aureus-infected rat wound models.

Main Results:

• The optimal functional fiber (Functional fiber 2) demonstrated significant phase change enthalpy (27.61 J/g) and good mechanical properties.
• Complete inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli growth in vitro, with sustained antibacterial efficacy after 30 washing cycles.
• Accelerated wound healing in rats, reducing wound diameter by approximately 77%, preventing infection, and enhancing angiogenesis.

Conclusions:

• The developed aloin- and GO-integrated Lyocell fibers possess excellent antibacterial and thermoregulatory properties.
• These functional fibers show significant potential for use in advanced protective textiles, medical supplies, and wound care applications.
• The study highlights a promising approach for creating multifunctional smart textiles.