A novel candidate for wound dressing: Transparent porous maghemite/cellulose nanocomposite membranes with controlled release of doxorubicin from a simple approach

The aim of this study is to develop transparent maghemite/cellulose nanocomposite membranes with high porosity, high adsorption capacity and controlled release of doxorubicin to be used as a candidate for wound dressing. The membranes were fabricated by a tape casting method through blending a homogeneous dispersion of citrate coated maghemite nanoparticles and cellulose in the NaOH/urea aqueous solution system. The prepared membranes were characterized by Light transmittance measurements, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Tensile tests and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Furthermore, porosity, swelling behavior, water loss ratio and Bovine serum albumin adsorption capacity were evaluated. Drug loading and release was investigated using doxorubicin hydrochloride as a model drug. In vitro cytotoxicity and cells morphology assays of cells growth and proliferation were also studied. This study served as a demonstration of the feasibility of maghemite/cellulose nanocomposite membranes for loading and release of bioactive compounds as a candidate for wound dressing.