Synthesis and characterization of a novel wound dressing by PVP/PAANa/chitosan with semi-interpenetrating polymer network structure

A novel hydrogel wound dressing with semi-interpenetrating polymer network structure (semi-IPN) was prepared by radical polymerization of acrylic acid with potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) as initiator and N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as cross-linking agent in the presence of chitosan (CTS) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). Hydrogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). SEM displayed semi-IPN hydrogels' creased surface with some scale-like wrinkles, thus improving the absorptive capability which has been considered as a most important characteristic of wound dressings. It was found that the content of cross-linking agent and the mass ratio of PVP and CTS had much influence on the mechanical properties of the hydrogel, varying from brittle plastics to elastomer due to the different degrees of cross linking. Since tensile strength is partly in inverse ratio to the hydrogel absorbent capability, the article offers an analysis of varying material proportion in order to obtain an optimum properties of the hydrogel wound dressing