Preparation of nylon/chitin membranes by solution casting and coating via DBD plasma treatment for wound care applications

Abstract

To enhance the interaction between nylon and chitin, dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD) was applied to treat nylon/chitin membranes fabricated by two different ways which were solution casting and surface coating. For solution casting method, chitin and nylon 6,6 is separately dissolved in calcium chloride- saturated methanol solvent before mixing together at different mixings ratios. The membranes were casting in a glass mould to form nylon/chitin membranes and drying in air and then washing with distilled water to remove the calcium salt, drying in oven and membranes and finally followed by subjecting the membranes to DBD treatment at various plasma treatment times of Os, 30s, 60s, 90 and 120s. For surface coating method, chitin dissloved in calcium chloride-saturated methanol was coated on DBD plasma-treated nylon mesh. The concentrations of chitin were varied to be 0.5%, 1%, and 2% and compare two different ways The effects of the blend ratio, plasma treatment time and chitin concentrations on morphology, chemical structure, and mechanical properties were investigated by SEM, FTIR, water contact angle, and Lloyd tensile tester, respectively. In addition, biocompatibility test by cytotoxic method using human dermal skin fibroblast. The results show decrement of tensile strength, elongation at break and contact angle when treatment times increase, after treated plasma by using FT-IR investigation that generates new peak at 1,720 cm-1 which corresponds to carbonyl group (C=0) and finally biocompatible cell proliferation of human skin fibroblast is growing on nylon-chitin surface.