Antibacterial Lignin-Based Polyurethane/Silver Composite Foam

Date:28 march 2022

Country: China

Application

• Aids wound healing as wound dressings

Description

A research group headed by Prof. Jin Zhu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo Institute, in collaboration with Prof. Jing Chen at NIMTE and scientists at Tsinghua University, proposed a simple method for developing antibacterial lignin-based polyurethane/silver (Ag) composite foam that aids wound healing as wound dressings. The researchers created lignin-based polyurethane foam as a new biomass wound dressing using a simple one-step foaming and in situ reduction method with a minuscule fraction of silver nanoparticles. The developed antibacterial lignin-based polyurethane/Ag composite foam had improved mechanical, thermal and antibacterial properties, as it almost completely (99%) inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli within 1 hour and Staphylococcus aureus within 4 hours, respectively.

Pathway Description:

A one-step foaming and in situ reduction method is used to create silver nanoparticles. A solution containing a foaming agent, a reducing agent, and silver ions is prepared and then subjected to a foaming process, creating a foam structure. Simultaneously, the reducing agent reduces the silver ions to silver nanoparticles within the foam structure, resulting in a silver nanoparticle-embedded foam material. This simple and efficient process uses a minuscule fraction of silver nanoparticles, reducing environmental impact and making it more sustainable.