Development and characterization of Alginate-nanochitin composites for wound healing application

Abstract

Lyophilized sodium alginate dressings were fabricated with and without the incorporation of nano chitin as filler. Nano chitin prepared using a combination of acid hydrolysis and probe sonication had average particle size of 13.5 ± 11.8nm with a polydispersibility index of 0.005. Lyophilization resulted in dressings with soft and spongy texture with excellent folding endurance that could be conveniently applied over wound surface. The thickness of the dressings ranged from 1.22 to 2.05mm.with pH between 6.9 and 7.3. Tensile strength of the dressings ranged from 0.029 to 0.039 N/mm² and was found to increase with increasing polymer concentration. The incorporation of nanochitin into the alginate matrix resulted in greater tensile properties, which is a desirable parameter in wound dressing materials. The WVTR was found to be from 722.9 to 1007.5 g/m².24h. The in-vitro cytocompatibility study conducted on L929 mouse fibroblast cell lines proved that the dressings were non-toxic and suitable for wound healing application.