ZnO microparticle-loaded chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/acacia gum nanosphere-based nanocomposite thin film wound dressings for accelerated wound healing

The present study deals with the development of novel ZnO microparticle-loaded chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/acacia gum nanosphere-based nanocomposite thin films through electrospraying and evaluation of their potential use in wound healing applications for skin. ZnO microparticles were synthesized and used as bioactive agents. Morphology, size distribution, structure, and dispersion of the synthesized ZnO microparticles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ZnO microparticles were incorporated into the ternary nanocomposite films by electrospraying technique. Thermogravimetric analyses reveal that incorporation of ZnO microparticles into the nanocomposite structure improves the thermal stability. Mechanical analyses show that tensile strength reaches to the maximum value of 12.75 MPa with 0.6 wt % ZnO content. SEM and TEM micrographs demonstrate that the nanocomposite films consist of nanospheres with nanocapsular structures whose sizes are mostly between 250 and 550 nm. Viability tests established prevailing cellular performance of the fibroblasts on 0.6 wt % ZnO microparticle-loaded nanocomposite films with a viability percentage of 160% compared to the control group. (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48445.