During realisation of a developmental project entitled ‘Manufacturing of biodegradable, hybrid composites based on lactide nanofibres and alginate nanocomposite fibres for medical applications’, a technology of manufacturing of different types of alginate fibres was developed, including nanocomposite alginate fibres for medical applications. A series of alginate fibres were manufactured during the project that differed in structure of the material, type of the implemented nano-additive and properties:

·        Fibres from calcium alginate – characterised by high sorption properties, capable of absorbing exudation from wound.

·        Fibres from copper alginate – characterised by the capability to generate negative static electric charge, which results in decreasing the feeling of pain.

·        Fibres from calcium alginate containing silver nano-additive – characterised by high sorption properties and bacteriostatic properties.

·        Fibres from calcium alginate containing Fe₃O₄ nano-additive – used as an implantation material, they enable imaging of the material after its engrafting.

·        Fibres from calcium alginate containing hydroxyapatite nano-additive – showing osteoconductive action due to the presence of a bioactive nano-additive.

·        Fibres from sodium alginate containing silver nano-additive – characterised by solubility in water and bacteriostatic properties.

On the basis of the manufactured alginate fibres, composite materials were obtained, intended for wound dressings or implantation, characterised by an oriented therapeutic action. In case of materials for wound dressings the following composites were manufactured which, depending on the raw material content, are characterised by differend pace of changing into gel form, differentiated sorption properties and showing antibacterial action:

·        A composite intended for a general-purpose wound dressing, combining specific action of alginates, meaning supporting of the process of wound healing, with antibacterial action manufactured from fibres from copper alginate, calcium alginate and sodium alginate containing silver nano-additive.

·        A composite intended for wound dressing for healing skin changes without exudation with antibacterial acion, showing capability to decrease a feeling of pain by a patient, manufactured from fibres from copper alginate and from fibres from calcium alginate containing silver nano-addivite.

·        A composite intended for infected or hard-healing wounds in early stage of healing, manufactured from fibres from copper alginate and from fibres from sodium alginate containing silver nano-additive.

In case of materials for implantation, there was a composite manufactured from alginate fibres and nano-fibres from polylactide intended for healing perforations of bone tissue, characterised by the action of supporting the process of bone tissue regeneration and giving the possibility of its imaging after implantation.

The fibres and composites developed during realisation of the project were manufactured in the Department of Material and Commodity Sciences, and Textile Metrology of the Lodz University of Technology, equipped in specialised laboratories with apparatuses necessary for manufacturing and examining of innovative composite materials.

Acknowledgements:

The research was financed by The National Centre for Research and Development, project No. NR08-0032-10.

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