Preparation and properties of silver-loaded PVA/CS/Gel hydrogel wound dressing

Wound dressings have been widely studied because they can temporarily protect and promote wound healing instead of damaged skin. In this paper, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by in situ reduction of gelatin (Gel). Then, AgNPs, chitosan (CS) and PVA were mixed to prepare silver-loaded PVA/CS/Gel hydrogel dressing through freeze-thaw and sodium citrate crosslinking. The properties of AgNPs and hydrogel dressing were evaluated. The results show that the particle size of the AgNPs successfully reduced by Gel is small and uniform. The silver-loaded PVA/CS/Gel hydrogel dressing has a homogeneous mesh structure with good moisture absorption and retention. It can maintain a moist wound environment while absorbing enough wound exudate. The excellent and stable mechanical properties of the hydrogel enable it to avoid external mechanical damage. In addition, the hydrogel shows effective antibacterial properties against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and has good biocompatibility and no cytotoxicity.