Fabrication and Characterization of PVA/γ-chitosan/Kaolin Nanofiber for Hemostatic Oral Wound Dressing

Abstract

Abstract A nanofiber-based composite nonwoven fabric was fabricated for hemostatic oral wound dressing, integrating polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), kaolin, and γ-chitosan extracted from Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis, Allomyrina dichotoma, and Eophileurus chinensis. The fabrication process utilized an electrospinning technique with needle-less and mobile spinneret, producing nanofibers with average diameters ranging from 172 to 277 nm, depending on the composition ratios. The γ-chitosan yield from these insects was between 6.9% and 10.8%, with the highest moisture-binding capacity observed at 535.6% for γ-chitosan from P. brevitarsis seulensis. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated a progressive increase in residual inorganic content with higher kaolin content, affirming its uniform distribution. Notably, the PVA/kaolin/γ-chitosan fabrics demonstrated enhanced biocompatibility, with cell survival rates under certain compositions reaching up to 86.9%. Furthermore, the optimized fabric compositions reduced blood coagulation time by approximately 2.5-fold compared to PVA alone, highlighting their efficacy in hemostasis. The study concludes that these novel nanofiber-based fabrics offer promising applications in dental medicine, providing an effective solution for hemostatic oral wound dressing with superior biocompatibility and enhanced hemostatic performance.