Non-cytotoxic cellulose acetate butyrate composite membrane incorporating a WS2/ZnAl-LDH hybrid for controlled curcumin delivery toward wound dressing applications.

A wound is a prevalent clinical condition that requires a dressing to both prevent external damage and promote recovery. Herein, a novel wound dressing material was developed as an electrospun composite membrane based on cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) to function as a drug carrier, with curcumin (Cur) as a model drug. The mechanical properties of the CAB-based membrane in the dry state were enhanced by a hybrid material composed of tungsten disulfide (WS2) and ZnAl layered double hydroxide (ZnAl-LDH), with improvements in tensile strength, Young's modulus, and toughness. The Cur-loaded CAB/WS2/ZnAl-LDH membrane (CAB/WL/Cur) also demonstrated antioxidant activity and exhibited modest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, the CAB/WL/Cur membrane was not toxic to L929 mouse fibroblast cells, with viability >100%. Importantly, the cumulative Cur release from the CAB/WL/Cur membrane, with the optimal WS2/ZnAl-LDH mixing ratio incorporated, was 83.56 ± 0.70%, which was higher than the Cur release from CAB/Cur and CAB/WS2/Cur membranes. Thus, this study demonstrates a novel approach to controlling the Cur release amount through the utilization of the optimized additive type and WS2/ZnAl-LDH mixing ratio for the CAB membrane. Based on its mechanical robustness, antibacterial and antioxidant activities, non-toxicity, and enhanced drug-release performance, the CAB/WL/Cur membrane shows potential for wound dressing applications and warrants further wound dressing-specific and in vivo evaluation. This work advances wound-care materials and controlled drug-delivery platforms, contributing to improved health outcomes and materials innovation.