Fabrication and Surface Characterization of Sodium Alginate–Glycerol–Silver Nanoparticle Composite Films for Wound Dressing Applications

Authors

  • Alaa S. Taeh Architecture Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Wasit University, Al-Kut 52001, Iraq
  • Ishraq Abd Ulrazzaq Kadhim Department of Biomaterials Engineering and Prosthesis /Collage of Materials Engineering/ University of Technology- Baghdad- Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22976308

Keywords:

Sodium Alginate, Silver Nanoparticles, Solvent-Cast Films, Surface Wettability, Antibacterial Screening, Wound Dressing Materials

Abstract

Sodium alginate composite films are candidates for wound dressing applications, but formulation changes can affect their surface and biological responses. This study fabricated a sodium alginate control, a glycerol-plasticized film, and three films containing different reported masses of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by solvent casting. We examined film morphology and chemical features using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. We assessed surface wettability by water contact angle at three seconds, while agar diffusion and HaCaT cell assays provided preliminary biological screening. The reported contact angles ranged from 20.6° to 50.3°, with the lowest angle observed for the intermediate AgNP formulation. The response across the AgNP-containing films was not monotonic. The agar assay showed apparent inhibition zones, but a zone was also reported for the silver-free control, limiting attribution of the effect to AgNPs. The cell-viability plot remained near its displayed control, although numerical variability and complete assay details were unavailable. These findings provide an initial formulation and surface comparison. Mechanical integrity, swelling, wet-state performance, and wound-healing effectiveness require separate testing before the films can be assessed for practical dressing use.

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Published

2026-09-26

How to Cite

Fabrication and Surface Characterization of Sodium Alginate–Glycerol–Silver Nanoparticle Composite Films for Wound Dressing Applications. (2026). Reports in Mechanical Engineering, 7(2), 227-237. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22976308