Surface functionalisation of crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol/ cellulose nanofiber biocompatible composite membrane using plasma

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has posed a great threat to global health; so, the progress of novel antibacterial strategies has become an urgent necessity. In this regard, functionalized polymer membranes play their role as versatile candidates by interacting with a wide range of molecules. However, poor mechanical properties often limit their clinical applications. The current research focused on the preparation of boric acid (BA) crosslinked PVA composite membranes with cellulose nanofiber (CNF). Herein, BA acts as an antibacterial agent against bacterial infection and together with CNF provides mechanical integrity to the composite membrane. Furthermore, these membranes were subjected to surface functionalization with plasma polymerization, a technique that controlled not only their swelling behaviour but also improved their antibacterial properties. The composite membranes were then subjected to an antibacterial performance test against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which showed remarkable bactericidal activity. The cytocompatibility was done by cell viability assays and fluorescent staining, confirming the nontoxic nature and biocompatibility of the membranes with macrophages. Besides, contact angle measurements showed favourable hydrophilicity (44 ± 1.4 °) to promote cell adhesion, and tensile testing showed optimal mechanical properties at 2.5 phr cellulose nanofiber and 8 phr BA content. The antibacterial activity, mechanical robustness, and cytocompatibility shown by plasma coated PVA-BA-CNF membrane, make them ideal candidates for biomedical applications. It has great potential to act as an antibacterial platform in mitigating bacterial infection, enhancing bioactivity and offering flexible solutions to address antibiotic resistance challenges in clinical settings.