Novel cellulose based materials for safe and efficient wound treatment

• Introduction of innovative modification procedures for wound dressing materials.
• The two-step pathway assures safe silver nanoparticle binding.
• The two-step pathway enables high antimicrobial activity with less hydrophilicity.
• The one-step pathway assures acquisition of excellent hydrophilicity.
• The one-step pathway results in less antimicrobial activity.

The present study aims at achieving effects of improved hydrophilicity and microorganism inhibition, which are rarely simultaneously present in wound dressings. Viscose fibers in their non-woven form were modified using two different pathways. Effects of a two-step procedure, i.e. alkaline or oxygen plasma treatment followed by the attachment of silver chloride nanoparticles were compared to a one-step procedure, i.e. ammonium plasma treatment, which results in both desired material characteristics simultaneously.The surface properties of untreated and differently modified cellulose samples were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in vitro silver release, and hydrophilicity measurements. The treatment effect on antimicrobial activity was determined by the AATCC 100-1999 standard test. In light of the introduced wound dressing preparation procedures and the desired wound dressing characteristics, the effectiveness of the used procedures was evaluated. Antimicrobial activity was proven against all Gram negative bacteria, while the Gram positive bacteria survive the as-prepared samples. Hydrophilicity was proven to be excellent using both preparation procedures. The mentioned results prove the potential of the used procedures and encourage future developments toward the clinical proof of concept.