Aloe vera-mediated silver nanoparticles integrated into electrospun PVA fibers for multifunctional wound dressing applications
Polymer Bulletin, cilt.83, sa.11, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 83 Sayı: 11
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s00289-026-06640-x
- Dergi Adı: Polymer Bulletin
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Aloe vera extract, Biomaterial, Electrospinning, Green synthesis, Wound dressing
- Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Chronic and infection-prone wounds remain a major clinical challenge, highlighting the need for wound dressings that combine antimicrobial activity with acceptable cytocompatibility. In this study, multifunctional electrospun fiber dressings were developed using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Aloe vera extract, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs were synthesized through an environmentally friendly approach using Aloe vera extract as a natural reducing agent and subsequently incorporated into the PVA-based fiber matrix. FTIR analysis confirmed the successful integration of the formulation components, while FE-SEM images revealed uniform, bead-free fibers with an average diameter of 0.34 ± 0.097 μm. Release analysis demonstrated a concentration-dependent AgNPs release profile, with complete release occurring within 120 min. Among the evaluated kinetic models, the Higuchi model provided the best fit (R² = 0.9695), indicating that diffusion was the predominant release mechanism. The AgNPs-containing fibers exhibited antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Depending on the initial AgNO₃ concentration, inhibition zones ranged from 0 to 11.6 mm for S. aureus and from 0 to 9.5 mm for E. coli. Cytocompatibility evaluation using L929 fibroblasts revealed a concentration-dependent decline in cell viability, decreasing from 87.5% to 22.9% with increasing AgNPs content. In contrast, fibers containing 10% Aloe vera extract without AgNPs maintained approximately 95% cell viability, demonstrating the favorable cytocompatibility of the Aloe vera-containing PVA matrix. Mechanical testing further showed that Aloe vera incorporation reduced fiber stiffness, whereas AgNPs addition partially compensated for this effect. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Aloe vera-mediated AgNPs can impart antibacterial functionality to electrospun PVA wound dressings. However, careful optimization of the AgNPs concentration is essential to achieve an appropriate balance among antibacterial performance, cytocompatibility, and mechanical properties.