Properties of chitosan containing PP-g-AA-g-NIPAAm bigraft nonwoven fabric for wound dressing

In this study polypropylene nonwoven fabric (PP) was modified with acrylic acid (AA) by gamma-ray irradiation-induced method to get PP-AA nonwoven fabric. The carboxyl group of the grafted acrylic acid chains was oxidized to peracid group. The peracid group was used as initiator. then N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) was graft-copolymerized onto PP-g-AA nonwoven fabric with ultraviolet photografting to get PP-q-AA-g-NIPAAm bigraft nonwoven fabric. Chitosan was impregnated onto the PP-g-AA-g-NIPAAm bigraft nonwoven fabric with freeze-drying to form chitosan containing PP-g-AA-g-NIPAAm bigraft nonwoven fabric (PP-g-AA-g-NIPAAm-Chi). The relative wicking time and antibacterial assessment on the modified PP nonwoven fabric were evaluated. The transport of bacterial and water vapor transmission rates, permeance and permeability through the modified nonwoven fabric were also conducted. From the evaluation of these properties, the modified PP nonwoven fabric will be considered for wound dressing in the future. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.