A) Elastic cryo-gel prepared from crosslinked cellulose nanofibrils. B) The micro-porous structure is exemplified. C) The nanofibrils are visualized. Reproduced from Springer Nanoscale Research Letters. |
Wound
healing is a complicated process consisting of several different phases
and a delicate interaction between different kinds of cells, signal
factors and connective tissue substance. If the wound healing does not
function optimally, this can result in chronic wounds, cicatrisation or
contractures. By having an optimal wound dressing such negative effects
can be reduced. A modern wound dressing should be able to provide a
barrier against infection, control fluid loss, reduce the pain during
the treatment, create and maintain a moist environment in the wound,
enable introduction of medicines into the wound, be able to absorb
exudates during the inflammatory phase, have high mechanical strength,
elasticity and conformability and allow for easy and painless release
from the wound after use.
Nanocellulose
is a highly fibrillated material, composed of nanofibrils with
diameters in the nanometer scale (< 100 nm), with high aspect ratio
and high specific surface area. Cellulose nanofibrils
have many advantageous properties, such as high strength and ability to
self-assembly.
Recently,
the suitability of cellulose nanofibrils from wood for forming elastic
cryo-gels has been demonstrated by scientists from Paper and Fibre
Research Institute (PFI) in Norway and Lund University..
Cryogelation is a technique that makes it possible to engineer 3-D
structures with controlled porosity. A porous structure with
interconnected pores is essential for use in modern wound healing in
which absorption of exudates, release of medicines into the wound or
exchange of cells are essential properties.
Recently,
the NanoHeal project has been granted funding by the Norwegian Research
Council of Norway, through the Nano2021 program. In the NanoHeal
project cryogelation will be one of the methods for engineering porous
composite materials based on nanocellulose from wood. Such porous
materials will be the basis for the development of advanced materials
for wound healing.
The
NanoHeal project is multi-disciplinary and has a wide cooperation
between scientists and industry with competence within material
technology, biotechnology, wound microbiology, biomaterials,
pharmaceutics and medicine. The active partners are located in four
European Universities, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
(Dept. of medicine), Cardiff University, Swansea University and Lund
University. In addition, the NanoHeal project has the support of a
Norwegian industrial partner (AlgiPharma), a biopharmaceutical company
having wound healing as one of their primary focus areas.
The
manager of the NanoHeal project will be senior researcher Gary Chinga
Carrasco at PFI, Paper and novel materials. PFI is a centre of expertise
for wood fibres, paper, new biobased materials and sustainable
biorefining. The project period is between 2012 and 2016.
