Solvent Casting and UV Photocuring for Easy and Safe Fabrication of Nanocomposite Film Dressings |
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| Authors: | Laura Di Muzio Prisca Simonetti Vito Cosimo Carriero Chiara Brandelli Jordan Trilli Claudia Sergi Jacopo Tirill Francesco Cairone Stefania Cesa Giulia Radocchia Serena Schippa Stefania Petralito Patrizia Paolicelli Maria Antonietta Casadei |
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| Institution: | 1.Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (P.S.); (V.C.C.); (C.B.); (J.T.); (F.C.); (S.C.); (S.P.); (M.A.C.);2.Department of Chemical Engineering Materials Environment, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy; (C.S.); (J.T.);3.Department of Public Health and Infection Disease, Microbiology Section, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.R.); (S.S.) |
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| Abstract: | The aim of this work was to optimize and characterize nanocomposite films based on gellan gum methacrylate (GG-MA) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for application in the field of wound dressing. The films were produced using the solvent casting technique coupled with a photocuring process. The UV irradiation of GG-MA solutions containing glycerol as a plasticizer and different amounts of silver nitrate resulted in the concurrent crosslinking of the photocurable polymer and a reduction of Ag ions with consequent in situ generation of AgNPs. In the first part of the work, the composition of the films was optimized, varying the concentration of the different components, the GG-MA/glycerol and GG-MA/silver nitrate weight ratios as well as the volume of the film-forming mixture. Rheological analyses were performed on the starting solutions, whereas the obtained films were characterized for their mechanical properties. Colorimetric analyses and swelling studies were also performed in order to determine the AgNPs release and the water uptake capacity of the films. Finally, microbiological tests were carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the optimized films, in order to demonstrate their possible application as dressings for the treatment of infected hard-to-heal wounds, which is a demanding task for public healthcare. |
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| Keywords: | thin film silver nanoparticles gellan gum methacrylate solvent casting photocuring antimicrobial activity colorimetry wound dressings |
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