Cellulose nanofiber-reinforced chitosan/PVA/MXene (Ti3C2Tx) membrane: Enhanced multifunctional performance and non-cytotoxicity for drug delivery

The development of wound dressings is crucial for advancing human healthcare, requiring materials that meet specific performance criteria. This study presents a novel electrospun membrane composed of chitosan (CS), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), cellulose nanofibers (CNF), and MXene (Ti3C2Tx), designed for the release of quercetin (QE, 0.3 phr). Incorporating CNF (1.5 phr) improved the mechanical properties of the CS/PVA membrane, which were further enhanced by the addition of MXene (2.0 phr), resulting in superior mechanical properties compared to the CS/PVA/CNF membrane. Significant improvements included enhanced ultimate tensile strength (8.57 ± 0.08 MPa), Young's modulus (55.80 ± 1.02 MPa), and toughness (1904.49 ± 2.54 kJ/m3). MXene also promoted QE release, achieving 90.87 ± 0.04 %, facilitated by the high swelling degree of the membrane (362.49 ± 12.81 %). The CS/PVA/CNF/MXene/QE membrane exhibited significant 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity (89.63 ± 0.11 %) and thermal stability, withstanding service temperatures up to 276.5 °C. Its biocompatibility was confirmed by a 92.83 ± 1.88 % cell viability of mouse fibroblast L929 cells after 72 h. Additionally, the CS/PVA/CNF/MXene/QE membrane demonstrated effective antibacterial properties, reducing colonies of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 by 83.15 ± 1.54 % and Escherichia coli DMST 703 by 74.49 ± 4.49 %. The enhanced properties and improved QE delivery performance of the composite membrane with CNF and MXene highlight its potential as a promising candidate for advanced wound dressing applications.