In vitro characterization of bionanocomposites with green silver nanoparticles: A step towards sustainable wound healing materials

Abstract This study investigated the characterization, antifungal activity, and biocompatibility of green agar/silver and collagen/silver bionanocomposite films for wound healing and cell growth scaffolds. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are known for their antimicrobial properties, but their toxicity and harsh synthesis limit their applications. To address this, green‐synthesized AgNPs G‐AgNPs were incorporated into agar/collagen suspensions at specific concentrations and three different G‐AgNP‐agar and two different G‐AgNP‐col bionanocomposite films were produced. Nanoparticle homogeneity and film quality were characterized through SEM analysis. Mechanical properties were tested using a uniaxial tensile tester, revealing that the bioplastic control samples exhibited UTS of 3.86 MPa compared to 0.60 MPa for collagen, a 6‐fold improvement. Viable cell metabolic activity derived from MTT assay showed that Col‐4%AgNPs and Bio‐30%AgNPs had a 42.9% and 51.6% increase in net metabolic activity respectively compared to control on day 4. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation in G‐AgNP‐incorporated samples. Antifungal properties were evaluated against Cladosporium spores, able to cause severe diseases when in contact with human skins, following ISO 16869:2008 standards. The demonstrated unique properties and tunability of G‐AgNPs bionanocomposites can be employed in a variety of specialties for wound‐healing applications, to improve rate and quality of healing while reducing the risk of infection.