Tribological investigation of a functional medical textile with lubricating drug-delivery finishing

Textile-based drug delivery systems have a high potential for innovative medical and gerontechnological applications. In this study, the tribological behaviour and lubrication properties of a novel textile with drug delivery function/finishing was investigated by means of friction experiments that simulated cyclic dynamic contacts with skin under dry and wet conditions. The textile drug delivery system is based on a loadable biopolymer dressing on a polyester (PES) woven fabric. The fabrics were finished with low (LC) and highly cross-linked (HC) polysaccharide dressings and investigated in the unloaded condition as well as loaded with phytotherapeutic substances. The mechanical resistance and possible abrasion of the functional coatings on the textile substrate were assessed by friction measurements and scanning electron microscopical analyses.Under dry contact conditions, all investigated fabrics (PES substrate alone and textiles with loaded and unloaded dressings) showed generally low friction coefficients (0.20–0.26). Under wet conditions, the measured friction coefficients were typically higher (0.34–0.51) by a factor of 1.5–2. In the wet condition, both loaded drug delivery textiles exhibited 7–29% lower friction (0.34–0.41) than the PES fabric with unloaded dressings (0.42–0.51), indicating pronounced lubrication effects. The lubrication effects as well as the abrasion resistance of the studied textiles with drug delivery function depended on the degree of dilution of the phytotherapeutic substances.Lubricating formulations of textile-based drug delivery systems which reduce friction against the skin might be promising candidates for advanced medical textile finishes in connection with skin care and wound (decubitus ulcer) prevention.

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► The tribological behaviour and mechanical resistance of a novel medical textile with drug delivery function is presented.
► Friction experiments that simulated cyclic dynamic contacts with skin under dry and wet conditions provided insights in the friction and lubrication behaviour of drug delivery fabrics.
► Loaded with phytotherapeutic substances, the drug delivery fabrics considerably reduced friction under wet conditions.
► The lubrication effects depended on the degree of dilution of the phytotherapeutic substances.