Cellulose nanofiber-reinforced chitosan/PVA/MXene (Ti3C2Tx) membrane: Enhanced multifunctional performance and non-cytotoxicity for drug delivery

Abstract

The development of wound dressings is crucial for advancing human healthcare, requiring materials that meet specific performance criteria. This study presents a novel electrospun membrane composed of chitosan (CS), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), cellulose nanofibers (CNF), and MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x), designed for the release of quercetin (QE, 0.3 phr). Incorporating CNF (1.5 phr) improved the mechanical properties of the CS/PVA membrane, which were further enhanced by the addition of MXene (2.0 phr), resulting in superior mechanical properties compared to the CS/PVA/CNF membrane. Significant improvements included enhanced ultimate tensile strength (8.57 ± 0.08 MPa), Young's modulus (55.80 ± 1.02 MPa), and toughness (1904.49 ± 2.54 kJ/m³). MXene also promoted QE release, achieving 90.87 ± 0.04 %, facilitated by the high swelling degree of the membrane (362.49 ± 12.81 %). The CS/PVA/CNF/MXene/QE membrane exhibited significant 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity (89.63 ± 0.11 %) and thermal stability, withstanding service temperatures up to 276.5 °C. Its biocompatibility was confirmed by a 92.83 ± 1.88 % cell viability of mouse fibroblast L929 cells after 72 h. Additionally, the CS/PVA/CNF/MXene/QE membrane demonstrated effective antibacterial properties, reducing colonies of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 by 83.15 ± 1.54 % and Escherichia coli DMST 703 by 74.49 ± 4.49 %. The enhanced properties and improved QE delivery performance of the composite membrane with CNF and MXene highlight its potential as a promising candidate for advanced wound dressing applications.