The complex process of wound healing necessitates a suitable environment for recovery and can sometimes aided by biomaterials as wound dressings. We have examined membranes fabricated from two types of biomaterials, chitin and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), for qualities indicative of potential wound dressing agents. Chitin is a structural polysaccharide that exhibits favorable biological, chemical and mechanical properties. Since chitin is insoluble in water as well as organic solvents, we used the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]) as the solvent to solubilize the polysaccharide and cast membranes. Chitin membranes fabricated by solvent casting using [C2mim][OAc] were shown to be durable, flexible and porous. These membranes were shown to be suitable as physical substrates for growth of mammalian cells and for release of bioactive compounds. PHA is a bio-based, biodegradable polymer synthesized by many species of prokaryotes. Membranes were fabricated using purified, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)-cast PHA. These PHA membranes were also demonstrated to be durable, flexible and porous. Three different PHA copolymers were tested: poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-17mol%hydroxyhexanoate) [P(HB-co-17mol%HHx)], P(HB-co-23mol%HHx), P(HB-co-30mol%HHx). We observed that the higher amount of hydroxyhexanoate (HHx) monomer in the material, the tougher and more flexible was the fabricated membrane, and the greater reduction of melting temperature and crystallinity. Porous, solvent-cast and electrospun PHA membranes were impregnated with lysozyme and tested on growing bacterial cultures. The lysozyme-loaded membranes were shown to inhibit biofilm formation in vitro. These proof-of-concept results suggest opportunity for further study of chitin and PHA as wound dressing material.

Chitin and polyhydroxyalkanoate polymers as raw materials for solvent-cast membranes: Potential wound dressing applications

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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