Investigation of effect of zinc oxide nanoparticle integration on hemostatic and biological properties montmorillonite-doped electrospun membranes

Abstract Acute hemorrhage persists as a major contributor to mortality rates in both clinical and emergency environments, necessitating the demand for multifunctional wound dressings that can achieve rapid hemostasis while preventing infection. This study integrated montmorillonite (MMT) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) into poly (ɛ-caprolactone)(PCL) and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) electrospun membranes to develop a dressing with antibacterial, hydrophobic, and rapid hemostatic properties. The membranes feature high surface roughness, stemming from the formation of both fibers and beads, which promotes hydrophobicity and blood resistance (contact angle > 130°). Chemical and structural analysis via FTIR and XRD confirmed the successful exfoliation and dispersion of MMT and ZnO within the polymer matrix. While mechanical testing identified ZnO_10 (10 wt% ZnO) as the optimal formulation for tensile strength and toughness, ZnO_20 (20 wt% ZnO) demonstrated the most potent functional performance. In vitro assays revealed that ZnO_20 effectively inhibited the growth of S. aureus and enabled rapid blood clotting. In the mouse liver laceration model, ZnO_20 also achieved fast hemostasis in 34.00 ± 5.29 s, significantly faster than traditional gauze and comparable to that of commercial QuikClot ® Advanced Clotting Gauze. Notably, due to its hydrophobic nature, ZnO_20 exhibited exceptionally low blood absorption compared to the hydrophilic commercial counterpart, potentially reducing secondary bleeding during dressing removal. These results suggest that the composite membrane has promising potential as a high-efficiency, antibacterial topical hemostatic dressing.