Self-Assembly\nof Nanocellulose Hydrogels Mimicking\nBacterial Cellulose for Wound Dressing Applications

Abstract

The self-assembly of nanocellulose in the form of cellulose\nnanofibers\n(CNFs) can be accomplished via hydrogen-bonding assistance into completely\nbio-based hydrogels. This study aimed to use the intrinsic properties\nof CNFs, such as their ability to form strong networks and high absorption\ncapacity and exploit them in the sustainable development of effective\nwound dressing materials. First, TEMPO-oxidized CNFs were separated\ndirectly from wood (W-CNFs) and compared with CNFs separated from\nwood pulp (P-CNFs). Second, two approaches were evaluated for hydrogel\nself-assembly from W-CNFs, where water was removed from the suspensions\nvia evaporation through suspension casting (SC) or vacuum-assisted\nfiltration (VF). Third, the W-CNF-VF hydrogel was compared to commercial\nbacterial cellulose (BC). The study demonstrates that the self-assembly\nvia VF of nanocellulose hydrogels from wood was the most promising\nmaterial as wound dressing and displayed comparable properties to\nthat of BC and strength to that of soft tissue.