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Vol. 62,  No. 3, pp. 152-161, Jun.  2025
10.12772/TSE.2025.62.152

Wound dressing Absorption Electrospinning Silk fibroin HPMC

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Electrospun Silk Fibroin (SF) nanofibers have emerged as promising materials for primary wound dressings due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and high specific surface area. Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC), a semi-synthetic hydrophilic polymer, has also been widely utilized in biomedical applications owing to its water absorption capacity and biocompatibility. In this study, SF and HPMC were combined to fabricate SF/HPMC nanofibrous (SHNFs) via electrospinning, and the effects of HPMC content on their physicochemical and biological properties were systematically evaluated. As the HPMC concentration increased, the viscosity of the spinning solution rose nonlinearly while its electrical conductivity decreased, adversely affecting process stability. Above 1.5% HPMC, fiber morphology became increasingly non-uniform, and the basis weight significantly declined. SHNF1 exhibited the highest tensile strength (3.01 MPa), but no consistent trend was observed with increasing HPMC content. Although fiber uniformity and mat density decreased, the water absorption capacity improved progressively with HPMC addition, suggesting a dominant role of HPMC’s inherent hydrophilicity. FTIR spectra showed a shift in the Amide I band between RSF and SHNFs, implying a change in molecular environment, while no clear secondary structural transitions were detected among SHNF samples. Cytotoxicity assessment using LDH assay revealed no significant differences from the low control group, confirming minimal cytotoxic effects on NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. These findings indicate that SHNFs exhibit excellent hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, supporting their potential use as effective primary wound dressings. Based on these findings, the optimal HPMC concentration was determined to be 1% (w/v), balancing spinnability, structural integrity, and functional performance.