Preparation and Characterization of Clay-Based Hybrid Membranes for Antibacterial Biodegradable Polymer Wound Dressings

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | Special Issue 04 | Page : 13 20
By

Snehal Masurkar,

S. K. Mohite,

Sheeth Toppo,

  1. Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Krishna Institute of Science and Technology, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Karad, Satara, Maharashtra, India
  2. Principal, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Rajarambapu College of Pharmacy, Kasegaon, Maharashtra, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Home Science, Kolhan University, Chaibasa, Jharkhand, India

Abstract

Recent developments in the field of polymer chemistry have resulted in many new forms of Hybrid polymer. This has further revolutionized the application of polymer chemistry in numerous fields. In this research, we manufactured clay-based hybrid membrane by adding clay to the biodegradable matrix of chitosan polymer. It is widely known that microbial and pathogenic organisms are responsible for wound hampering infections such as impetigo. They can spread in bodily fluids and skin, enter the blood through wounds and slow down the healing and repair of tissues. Clay has long historical use as a therapeutic agent with potential use in biomedical applications. Its safe composition, along with its large surface area, availability, and ability to exchange cations make it attractive. This design increases structural and biocompatibility and wound-healing efficiency. The hybrid membranes are a combination of clays, hydraulic ionizing agents – called Zwitterions, silver and terbinafine hydrochloride (TBH). This combination yields both antibacterial as well as antifungal action. The biodegradable polymer serves as a supporting framework, and the clay helps to control the releasing of antimicrobial agents to prevent the growth of pathogens. We evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy employing a zone of inhibition assay against prevalent skin wound pathogens; these hybrid clay membranes were strongly antimicrobial against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Our output suggests that these hybrid clay membranes are affordable, scalable, and suitable for powerful and useful treatment of microbial infections. In wound healing solution these membranes provide an advance point of care solution.

Keywords: Hybrid polymer, polymer characterization, biodegradable polymer, Chitosan polymer.

[This article belongs to Special Issue under section in Journal of Polymer & Composites (jopc)]

How to cite this article: Snehal Masurkar, S. K. Mohite, Sheeth Toppo. Preparation and Characterization of Clay-Based Hybrid Membranes for Antibacterial Biodegradable Polymer Wound Dressings. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):13-20.
How to cite this URL: Snehal Masurkar, S. K. Mohite, Sheeth Toppo. Preparation and Characterization of Clay-Based Hybrid Membranes for Antibacterial Biodegradable Polymer Wound Dressings. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):13-20. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=246223

References

  1. Bhattarai S, Sharma BK, Subedi N, Ranabhat S, Baral MP. Burden of serious bacterial infections and multidrug-resistant organisms in an adult population of Nepal: A comparative analysis of minimally invasive tissue sampling informed mortality surveillance of community and hospital deaths. Clin Infect Dis. 2021;73(Suppl 5):S415–S421.
  2. Vos T, Lim SS, Abbafati C, Abbas KM, Abbasi M, Abbasifard M, et al. Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet. 2020 Oct 17;396(10258):1204-22.
  3. Hernández AC. Poultry and avian diseases. In: Van Alfen NK, editor. Encyclopedia of Agriculture and Food Systems. Vol. 4. San Diego (CA): Academic Press; 2014. p. 504–520.
  4. Simões D, Miguel SP, Ribeiro MP, Coutinho P, Mendonça AG, Correia IJ. Recent advances on antimicrobial wound dressing: A review. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2018;127:130–141.
  5. Bowler PG, Duerden BI, Armstrong DG. Wound microbiology and associated approaches to wound management. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2001;14(2):244–269.
  6. Uberoi A, McCready-Vangi A, Grice EA. The wound microbiota: Microbial mechanisms of impaired wound healing and infection. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2024;22(8):507–521.
  7. Sun A, He X, Li L, Li T, Liu Q, Zhou X, et al. An injectable photopolymerized hydrogel with antimicrobial and biocompatible properties for infected skin regeneration. NPG Asia Mater. 2020;12(1):25.
  8. Ge Y, Wang Q. Current research on fungi in chronic wounds. Front Mol Biosci. 2023;9:1057766.
  9. Gil J, Solis M, Higa A, Davis SC. Candida albicans infections: A novel porcine wound model to evaluate treatment efficacy. BMC Microbiol. 2022;22(1):45.
  10. Rewak-Soroczyńska J, Sobierajska P, Targońska S, Piecuch A, Grosman L, Rachuna J, et al. New approach to antifungal activity of fluconazole incorporated into the porous 6-anhydro-α-L-galacto-β-D-galactan structures modified with nanohydroxyapatite for chronic-wound treatments: In vitro evaluation. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(6):3112.
  11. Nobile CJ, Johnson AD. Candida albicans biofilms and human disease. Annu Rev Microbiol. 2015;69:71–92.
  12. Heald AH, O’Halloran DJ, Richards K, Webb F, Jenkins S, Hollis S, et al. Fungal infection of the diabetic foot: Two distinct syndromes. Diabet Med. 2001;18(7):567–572.
  13. Ghimire S, Sarkar P, Rigby K, Maan A, Mukherjee S, Crawford KE, et al. Polymeric materials for hemostatic wound healing. Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(12):2127.
  14. Dreifke MB, Jayasuriya AA, Jayasuriya AC. Current wound healing procedures and potential care. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2015;48:651–662.
  15. Nowotnick AG, Xi Z, Jin Z, Khalatbarizamanpoor S, Brauer DS, Löffler B, et al. Antimicrobial biomaterials based on physical and physicochemical action. Adv Healthc Mater. 2024;13(32):
  16. Chernousova S, Epple M. Silver as antibacterial agent: Ion, nanoparticle, and metal. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2013;52(6):1636–1653.
  17. Karypidis M, Karanikas E, Papadaki A, Andriotis EG. A mini-review of synthetic organic and nanoparticle antimicrobial agents for coatings in textile applications. Coatings. 2023;13(4):693.
  18. Mylsamy B, Aruchamy K, Shanmugam SK, Palanisamy S, Ayrilmis N. Improving performance of composites: natural and synthetic fibre hybridisation techniques in composite materials—A review. Mater Chem Phys. 2025;334:130439.
  19. de Oliveira LH, de Lima IS, dos Santos AN, Trigueiro P, Barreto HM, Cecília JA, et al. Monitoring the antimicrobial activity of bentonite-chlorhexidine hybrid. Mater Today Commun. 2023;34:105352.
  20. Ongprayoon T, Nuangchamnong R, Yanumet N. Antimicrobial resistance of clay polymer nanocomposites. Appl Clay Sci. 2013;86:179–184.
  21. Gordienko MG, Palchikova VV, Kalenov SV, Belov AA, Lyasnikova VN, Poberezhniy DY, et al. Antimicrobial activity of silver salt and silver nanoparticles in different forms against microorganisms of different taxonomic groups. J Hazard Mater. 2019;378:120754.
  22. Paskiabi FA, Bonakdar S, Shokrgozar MA, Imani M, Jahanshiri Z, Shams-Ghahfarokhi M, et al. Terbinafine-loaded wound dressing for chronic superficial fungal infections. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2017;73:130–136.
  23. Woodmansey EJ, Roberts CD. Appropriate use of dressings containing nanocrystalline silver to support antimicrobial stewardship in wounds. Int Wound J. 2018;15(6):1025–1032.
  24. Sarkar P, Ghimire S, Vlasov S, Mukhopadhyay K. Effect of clay-zwitterionic interactions in controlling the viscoelastic properties in organomodified clays. iScience. 2023;26(12).
  25. Silva-Castro I, Martín-Ramos P, Matei PM, Fernandes-Correa M, Hernández-Navarro S, Martín-Gil J. Eco-friendly nanocomposites of chitosan with natural extracts, antimicrobial agents, and nanometals. In: Thakur VK, Thakur MK, Kessler MR, editors. Handbook of Composites from Renewable Materials. Hoboken (NJ): Wiley; 2017. p. 35–60.
  26. Kean T, Thanou M. Biodegradation, biodistribution and toxicity of chitosan. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2010;62(1):3–11.
  27. Rowe RC, Sheskey PJ, Quinn ME, editors. Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients. 5th ed. London: Pharmaceutical Press; 2006.
  28. Seyfarth F, Schliemann S, Elsner P, Hipler UC. Antifungal effect of high- and low-molecular-weight chitosan hydrochloride, carboxymethyl chitosan, chitosan oligosaccharide and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine against Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida glabrata. Int J Pharm. 2008;
    353(1–2):139–148.
  29. Mishra M, editor. Handbook of Encapsulation and Controlled Release. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press; 2015.
  30. Safdar R, Omar AA, Arunagiri A, Regupathi I, Thanabalan M. Potential of chitosan and its derivatives for controlled drug release applications: A review. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol. 2019;49:642–659.
  31. Thakral S, Kim K. Small-angle scattering for characterization of pharmaceutical materials. Trends Anal Chem. 2021;134:116144.
  32. Sun B, Zhang M, Zhou N, Chu X, Yuan P, Chi C, et al. Study on montmorillonite-chlorhexidine acetate-terbinafine hydrochloride intercalation composites as drug release systems. RSC Adv. 2018;8(38):21369–21377.
  33. Yang F, Wang A. Recent researches on antimicrobial nanocomposite and hybrid materials based on sepiolite and palygorskite. Appl Clay Sci. 2022;219:106454.

Special Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
Special Issue 04
Received 19/05/2026
Accepted 29/05/2026
Published 06/06/2026
Publication Time 18 Days


Login

My IP

PlumX Metrics