Study on the preparation of multifunctional bacterial cellulose-based wound dressings and their in vitro hemostatic performance

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a favored material for medical wound dressings due to its biocompatibility and water-holding capacity, yet it lacks inherent antibacterial and hemostatic capabilities. To enhance its functionality, a novel BC-based wound dressing (HBP) was engineered by integrating chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (HACC) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) into BC’s 3D structure via soaking, stirring, and freeze-drying techniques. The HBP features a distinctive “dense outer layer and loose inner layers” pore architecture, demonstrating excellent thermal stability, a tensile strength of 26.19 MPa, and a water-retention capacity of 90.02%. Biological assays reveal inhibition zones of 11–27 mm against four common pathogenic bacteria; its hemolysis rate is below 0.5% and cell viability exceeds 85%, complying with the ISO 10,993 standard for medical materials. In vitro clotting time is reduced to 300 s, which is 280 s faster than current commercial dressings. Consequently, HBP holds great promise for multifunctional wound care: it rapidly absorbs exudate, minimizes blood loss, and establishes an antibacterial barrier to prevent infection.