Balsa Wood-Loaded Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan/Zinc Gluconate Hydrogel Applied as Wound Dressing

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and, due to its direct contact with the external environment, is one of the most vulnerable tissues. Traditional medical bandages and gauze exhibit limited efficacy in wound management, often neglecting the control of wound inflammation and the promotion of skin regeneration. Hydrogels, as an emerging material, possess appropriate swelling capacity, oxygen permeability, and the ability to absorb wound exudates, thereby facilitating wound healing, making them an ideal choice for functional applications in skin tissue engineering. In this study, dual-treated balsa wood (BWSM) was used as the hydrogel substrate, with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan (CS), and zinc gluconate (ZnG) used as the primary raw materials. The BWSM/PVA/CS/ZnG hydrogel was prepared via gamma-ray irradiation. Balsa wood treated with alkaline solutions, hydrogen peroxide solutions, and microwave treatment processing exhibited enhanced transparency, increased porosity, improved thermal stability and swelling rates, while retaining adequate mechanical strength. Gamma-ray irradiation of the BWSM/PVA/CS/ZnG hydrogel wound dressing demonstrated sustained drug release and antibacterial efficacy through release and antimicrobial tests. Animal experiments showed that the BWSM/PVA/CS/ZnG composite hydrogel promoted wound healing in mice and effectively prevented scar formation. The aforementioned results demonstrate that the PVA/CS/ZnG composite hydrogel loaded with balsa wood exhibits durable antibacterial properties and high mechanical strength and promotes wound healing, making it suitable for applications in biomedical materials such as wound dressings.