Synthesis of multifunctional hydrogels based on carboxymethyl cellulose for wound healing applications

Abstract Hydrogels derived from natural polymers are gaining attention in wound dressings due to their extracellular matrix–mimicking structures and tunable properties. In this study, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) based hydrogels were developed via graft copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC), with varying DADMAC content, to obtain multifunctional wound healing materials. The hydrogels were characterized to evaluate their structural, thermal, and morphological properties. Results showed successful grafting, increased porosity (up to ~ 45%) with higher DADMAC content, enhanced thermal stability and pH-responsive swelling behavior. Controlled biodegradation was observed over 21 days, with weight loss ranging from 17.5 to 25%. In vitro cytocompatibility evaluated by assay on human fibroblast (BJ−1) cells showed high cell viability (> 86%), while scratch wound assays demonstrated improved cell migration and proliferation . Antibacterial activity assessed using the colony-forming unit method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli revealed effective bacterial growth reduction for DADMAC-containing hydrogels.These results indicate that the developed CMC-based hydrogels possess suitable physicochemical, biological, and antimicrobial properties for potential wound dressing applications.