DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-FRIENDLY ANTIMICROBIAL WOUND GAUZE USING NATURAL BIOPOLYMER COATING FOR HEALTHCARE APPLICATION

engineering

Wound care management remains a significant challenge in the healthcare sector, particularly for resource-limited settings. Conventional wound gauze, predominantly manufactured from 100% cotton, lacks inherent antimicrobial activity and does not support active wound healing, necessitating frequent replacement and increasing the risk of infection. The need for sustainable, biodegradable, and cost-effective antimicrobial wound dressings has led to increased interest in natural fiber-based fabrics combined with bio-based functional coatings. The current investigation aims to develop an eco-friendly antimicrobial wound gauze using a hybrid structure of cotton, bamboo, and silk yarns, functionalized with a dual biopolymer coating of pectin and chitosan via microencapsulation. Methods: Woven hybrid gauze samples were prepared with varying warp–weft combinations of cotton, bamboo, and silk yarns in plain weave with EPI 24 and PPI 26, targeting a fabric GSM of 30-35g/m². The woven gauze was scoured and subjected to a microencapsulation-based antimicrobial coating process: a core solution of 2% pectin with required amount of alum (pH 5.0–5.5) was slowly added into a wall solution of 0.5–1% chitosan dissolved in 1% acetic acid under continuous stirring (ionic gelation/coacervation), and applied on fabric at a moderate pickup (60–80%). Curing was performed at 60–80°C for 5–10 minutes. Potassium aluminium sulphate (alum) was used as a cross-linking agent to enhance coating durability.

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