In situ nanocrystalline silver chloride embedded xanthan-alginate scaffold with synergistic antimicrobial activity...

In this study, a scaffold composed of xanthan, sodium alginate, and silver nanoparticles was fabricated via ionic crosslinking and evaluated for wound healing applications. In situ transformation of AgNPs into silver chloride occurred during scaffold formation, enabling sustained antimicrobial activity through controlled silver ion release. Physicochemical characterization using FTIR confirmed the functional groups and spectral shifts associated with ionic crosslinking. XRD analysis revealed the formation of nanocrystalline AgCl within the amorphous polymeric matrix. The average crystallite size (17.56 nm) calculated using the Debye-Scherrer equation and Williamson-Hall analysis confirmed the formation of nanocrystalline AgCl particles. The lattice strain (ε) was in the range of 0.0015-0.002, indicating low microstrain within the crystal lattice. SEM revealed a highly porous and interconnected structure conducive to cellular infiltration and nutrient transport, while EDS confirmed the presence of Ag and Cl within the scaffold matrix. The scaffold exhibited moderate hydrophilicity and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against biofilm-forming wound pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. In vitro cytocompatibility using HaCaT cells demonstrated cell viability, with enhanced proliferation (128.7%) at an optimized concentration of 0.312 µg/mL. In vivo studies revealed enhanced wound healing in the scaffold treated group, achieving 93.39% wound closure on day 14, compared to controls. Histological evaluation confirmed improved re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, and reduced inflammation. These results highlight the potential of the xanthan-alginate-AgCl scaffold as a promising wound dressing material with synergistic antimicrobial, cytocompatibility and regenerative properties.