Preparation and characterization of fibers crafted from PCL/PVP-ChAgG, coupled with investigating their suitability as wound dressings.

Title : Preparation and characterization of fibers crafted from PCL/PVP-ChAgG, coupled with investigating their suitability as wound dressings.

Abstract:

Wound dressings play a pivotal role in wound care by cleansing, shielding, and covering wounds, thereby influencing healing duration, cost-effectiveness, and patient comfort. Electrospun fibers emerge as a promising avenue in this field due to their diverse attributes, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical robustness, and moisture management capabilities. The integration of antimicrobial properties is essential, motivating this investigation to develop wound dressings using electrospun nanofibers composed of a blend of poly(caprolactone)/poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PCL/PVP) incorporated with a nanocomposite comprising Chitosan/Silver Nanocrystals/Graphene Oxide (ChAgG). ChAgG, derived from corn-based Chitosan, garlic-sourced silver nanocrystals, and Graphene Oxide, was infused into the fibers via varying proportions of the ChAgG nanocomposite solution during electrospinning. Characterization employing techniques such as FTIR, XPS, and TEM confirmed the composition of the nanocomposites, while scanning electron microscopy assessed the morphology and diameter of the fibrous dressings. Thermal analyses and FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated successful incorporation of ChAgG into the polymeric matrix. Mechanical testing favored fibers containing 5% ChAgG for their suitability in wound dressing applications. Antibacterial assays revealed enhanced efficacy against Escherichia coli compared to Staphylococcus aureus. Future endeavors may entail biocompatibility assessments and animal studies to further validate the efficacy of the system, ultimately leading to the development of an optimized, antimicrobial wound dressing with competitive market potential.
Keywords: Wound dressings; Electrospun fibers; Chitosan; Silver nanoparticles; Graphene.

Biography:

Dr. Luis Villarreal is a research professor at the Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Autonomous University of Baja California, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, member of the National System of Researchers SNII-CONAHCyT Level 2, and a member of the academic body Applied Bioengineering "In Consolidation". To date, Dr. Villarreal has published 51 indexed articles, with a total of 1,134 citations in Scopus. Currently, Research and Graduate Coordinator of the Faculty, General Coordinator of MyDAUD-Multicampus. He has participated in more than 70 national and international conferences. Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Revista de Ciencias Tecnológicas (RECIT) (only 5 official ones at UABC), organizing president of the main international conferences of the Faculty FCITEC and member of the editorial committee of important publishers such as Bentham, MDPI, Hindawi, Wiley. He is a member of the editorial advisory board of the journal “Current Drug Delivery” and a referee for more than 210 articles participating in publishers such as Elsevier, Wiley, Springer, MDPI and Hindawi among others. He also participates as an evaluator of research projects for funding in Mexico, Italy, Malaysia and Peru. He has contributed to the generation of human resources with 10 undergraduate theses, 10 master's theses and 5 doctoral theses. His research lines in the area of Biomaterials are in Tissue Engineering, Drug Release Systems and Biotechnology, among others. The improvement in the treatment of infants is his primary objective.