Resumo:
Wounds are consequences of any disruption of the structure and normal functions of the
integument as a result of trauma. The treatment of chronic wounds requires high costs
for dressings, healthcare professionals and hospital stays. Chronic wounds can be
infected by microorganisms, making the healing and healing process difficult. In order
to promote the healing of infected wounds, dressings containing silver are developed.
Silver is a metal with antimicrobial properties, widely used in the treatment of chronic
wounds. The PVDF polymer and its composites are promising biomaterials due to their
biocompatibility and their piezoelectric, pyroelectric and ferroelectric responses. The
mixture of polymers and ceramics generates materials with potential capacity for tissue
regeneration, combining characteristics of resistance, flexibility and easy processability
of polymers and strong piezoelectric responses of ceramics. The present work aims to
develop PVDF/BaTiO3 and P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO3 membranes with piezoelectric and
antimicrobial properties for applications in wound treatment. Therefore, after making
the membranes, silver impregnation was carried out in some samples. For the
characterization of the material, physical chemical and microstructural techniques of
isolated composites and impregnated with silver were used. The contact angle
measurement was used to assess the hydrophilicity of the material, the
hemocompatibility was assessed with the hemolysis test and the antimicrobial activity
of the membranes was assessed by the diffusion method on Kirby Bauer agar and
biofilm formation using ATCC strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa. Characterization tests demonstrated that the membranes were synthesized
with piezoelectric properties and that the silver was successfully impregnated. Contact
angle measurements confirmed the hydrophilicity of the material and
hemocompatibility tests showed that the membranes can be used in contact with blood.
The microbiological tests showed that PVDF/BaTiO3 and P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO3
membranes showed antimicrobial activity after silver impregnation, which makes the
material promising in the treatment of chronic infected wounds.
