Crosslinked carboxymethyl starch nanofiber mats: Preparation, water resistance and exudates control ability

The highly hydrophilic carboxymethyl starch (CMS) is promising for exudates control of highly exuding wounds. Its water intolerance hindered its application as wound dressings. This research has developed a new type of nanofiber mat with high hydrophilicity and water-resistance. The electrospun CMS nanofiber mats were crosslinked with the periodate oxidation – adipic acid dihydrazide crosslinking strategy. The crosslinked CMS nanofiber mats show wet mechanical strength between 1 and 5 MPa, can maintain good nanofibrous morphology and 90% of their initial mass after being incubated in simulated body fluid for 4 weeks, and have good biocompatibility. As wound dressings, they can evaporate exudates at speed between 0.30 and 0.34 g/(cm 2 ·24 h) and absorb 10–20 times exudates rapidly. The crosslinked CMS nanofiber mats are promising dressings for the treatment of highly exuding wounds.