Hydrogels are widely used in wound dressings because of their rapid and gentle wound‐healing properties; however, their brittleness and poor mechanical strength restrict practical applications. This study reports the fabrication of flexible composite hydrogel fibers by incorporating alginate with Chir pine gum (CG) and xanthan gum (XG) for advanced wound dressings. Composite fibers with different alginate/CG and alginate/XG ratios and concentrations were prepared and characterized by SEM, FTIR, and DSC, followed by evaluation of mechanical properties, swelling behavior, antibacterial activity, and biocompatibility. Alginate/CG fibers exhibited the highest tensile strength (329 cN) at 1.5% concentration with a 3:1 alginate‐to‐gum ratio, whereas Alginate/XG fibers showed the greatest exudate swelling at a 1:1 ratio due to superior water retention. All hydrogel fibers demonstrated effective antibacterial activity. CG release provided intrinsic therapeutic functionality, eliminating the need for additional drug loading. Cytotoxicity confirmed excellent blood compatibility, while Alginate/CG fibers achieved the highest anti‐inflammatory inhibition (52.1%). These composite hydrogel fibers offer an optimal combination of mechanical strength, swelling performance, biocompatibility, rapid wound healing, and cost‐effectiveness, highlighting their strong potential for commercial wound‐dressing applications.
Farooq I Azam, Sumera Shaheen, Zohaib Ijaz et al.· Journal of Applied Polymer S...· 0 citations
This study presents the development of a hydrogel-based wound dressing by incorporating carboxymethyl cellulose and silver nanoparticles into cotton fabric via a one-step method. The objective was to create a cellulose-based wound care material that offers good strength, comfort, moisture management, and antibacterial protection, using an industrially viable, simple approach. Experimental evaluations assessed mechanical strength, stretchability, moisture management behavior, water absorption capacity, and antibacterial activity. Results showed that the material's strength increased with greater amounts of hydrogel and fabric weight. The highest tensile strength of 120 N and the lowest elongation of 52% were achieved with 1.25% hydrogel and a fabric weight of 150 g m−2. The dressing demonstrated excellent comfort properties, including a fast-wetting time of 1.73 s and a high liquid spreading rate of 17 mm s−1, which are beneficial for wound healing. Moreover, greater hydrogel content and fabric weight enhanced fluid absorption, making the material suitable for managing wound exudate. The inclusion of silver nanoparticles significantly inhibited bacterial growth around the dressing, confirming its antimicrobial effectiveness. These findings highlight the potential of the newly developed one-step approach for cellulose hydrogel-coated cotton fabric as a multifunctional, effective wound dressing.
Farooq I Azam, Saif Ullah, F. Ahmad et al.· RSC Advances· 0 citations
