Integrated trilayer nanofiber membrane with tailored antibacterial, antioxidant, and mechanical properties for accelerated infected wound healing

While a variety of wound dressing materials are available, the effective combination of multiple active components into a single composite dressing to optimize wound healing outcomes presents a substantial challenge. Herein, we introduce a novel trilayer nanofiber membrane (SNM) for accelerated infected wound healing. The SNM, fabricated via electrospinning, comprises a hydrophilic inner layer enriched with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for antioxidant activity, an antimicrobial middle layer incorporating silver zeolitic imidazolate framework (Ag-ZIF), and a hydrophobic outer layer of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) for structural integrity. The SNM exhibits superior mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 8.83 ± 0.99 MPa and an elongation at break of 262.57% ± 30.06%, alongside a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 521 g/(m²·24h). The SNM composites demonstrate potent bactericidal effects, achieving a 93.50% ± 5.77% and 94.39% ± 4.29% reduction against <i>E. coli</i> and <i>S. aureus</i>, respectively. Furthermore, the SNM exhibits a high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging efficiency of 95% at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. Animal studies indicate significant wound healing enhancement, with the SNM-treated group achieving a 52.78% healing rate on day 3, compared to 11.15% for the control group. This work offers a promising strategy for the development of multifunctional wound dressings with integrated antibacterial nanomaterials and natural bioactive components within a single composite material.