Asymmetrically Wetted Trilayer-Structured Wound Dressing with Unidirectional Moisture Transport and Hemostatic Function

An effective wound dressing should be hemostatic and able to absorb excess exudates while protecting the wound from infection and inflammation. However, conventional dressings with a single structure and property exist with non-negligible limitations in exudate management owing to their limited draining ability. Herein, a self-pumping Janus hemostatic dressing with unidirectional moisture transport (Janus@BG5) was reported by an electrospun trilayered fibrous matrix, in which the inner hydrophobic polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber array, the interlayer PLA and silk fibroin (SF) composite fibrous layer (P2S8), and the outer hydrophilic nanofiber network are introduced with inorganic bioactive glass (Ce-BG@PDE). Ce-BG@PDE nanoparticles were developed by coating polydopamine (PDA) and ε-polylysine (EPL) in sequence on the basis of cerium-doped bioactive glass (Ce-BG) nanoparticles. The Janus@BG5 with 88.0% porosity exhibited a tensile strength of 3.4 MPa. The Janus@BG5 displayed the unidirectional moisture transport capability, causing a one-way flow of the excess serum from the hydrophobic to the hydrophilic side. In subsequent bacterial studies, the Janus@BG5 could effectively inhibit <i>Escherichia coli</i> (82.9 ± 2.7%) and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (90.5 ± 0.7%) colonization. In comparison to conventional medical gauze, the blood absorption rate of the Janus@BG5 was 643.0%, and the clotting index for Janus@BG5 was 25.8%, and its coagulation time is 237.0 ± 10.5 s. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation based on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) revealed that all samples had no cytotoxicity. These results indicated the suitability of such a trilayered Janus nanofibrous membrane for its potential application in hemostatic wound dressing management.