Bi-layered polycarbonate urethane/alginate di-aldehyde crosslinked gelatin membrane as a potential biomaterial for wound healing applications

Diabetic wounds, particularly foot ulcers, represent a major healthcare burden worldwide due to prolonged inflammation, reduced cellular migration and impaired tissue repair due to hyperglycemia. To treat a wound as quickly and effectively, advancements in wound dressing are crucial. Here, we have developed a bilayered electrospun membrane with gelatin as the inner layer and polycarbonate urethane (PCU) as the outer layer. The gelatin side of the membrane is crosslinked with alginate dialdehyde (ADA), which serves as a niche for the migration and growth of cells that can start the healing process for wounds. SEM analysis confirms the fibrous characteristics of PCU and gelatin. The FT-IR data confirms the presence of both gelatin and PCU on their respective sides. Trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) assay validates the crosslinking of ADA to the gelatin. The water uptake was found to be 243 ± 18% and has a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) in the range of commercially available wound dressings (620 g/m²/d). The membrane's ability to support cell survival and non-toxicity is supported by studies on cytocompatibility. The <i>in-vitro</i> wound healing assay was conducted at different time periods and had a wound closure of 44.7 ± 0.5% at 8 h compared to the cell control, which had 23.4 ± 3.6%. The fabricated membrane has the potential to be used as a diabetic wound care material.