Asymmetric Wettable, Waterproof, and Breathable Nanofibrous Membranes for Wound Dressings

Despite the progression in wound treatment, the development of wound dressings with considerable skin regeneration capability and improved patient comfort still faces huge challenges. In this study, a type of asymmetric wettable gradient nanofibrous membrane, which is composed of a hydrophobic polyvinyl butyral (PVB)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) upper layer, a PVB-PDMS/gelatin middle layer, and a hydrophilic gelatin lower layer, has been fabricated. The PVB-PDMS upper layer gave dramatically elevated water contact angles from 71.27 degrees to 125.45 degrees as compared with the gelatin membrane, indicating an asymmetric wettability. The composite membrane exhibited outstanding waterproof capability with a hydrostatic pressure of 58.21 kPa, excellent breathability with a water vapor transmission rate of 8.80 kg m(-2) d(-1), improved stretchability and tear resistance, and dramatic improvement in mesenchymal stem cell recruitment with the immobilization of stromal-cell-derived factor-1 alpha for accelerating skin regeneration. The development of asymmetric wettable nanofibrous membranes offers insight into wound-dressing design.