Bio‐Composite Hydrogel Fibers of Alginate/Chir Pine and Alginate/Xanthan Gums for High Performance Wound Dressings

ABSTRACT

Hydrogels are widely used in wound dressings because of their rapid and gentle wound‐healing properties; however, their brittleness and poor mechanical strength restrict practical applications. This study reports the fabrication of flexible composite hydrogel fibers by incorporating alginate with Chir pine gum (CG) and xanthan gum (XG) for advanced wound dressings. Composite fibers with different alginate/CG and alginate/XG ratios and concentrations were prepared and characterized by SEM, FTIR, and DSC, followed by evaluation of mechanical properties, swelling behavior, antibacterial activity, and biocompatibility. Alginate/CG fibers exhibited the highest tensile strength (329 cN) at 1.5% concentration with a 3:1 alginate‐to‐gum ratio, whereas Alginate/XG fibers showed the greatest exudate swelling at a 1:1 ratio due to superior water retention. All hydrogel fibers demonstrated effective antibacterial activity. CG release provided intrinsic therapeutic functionality, eliminating the need for additional drug loading. Cytotoxicity confirmed excellent blood compatibility, while Alginate/CG fibers achieved the highest anti‐inflammatory inhibition (52.1%). These composite hydrogel fibers offer an optimal combination of mechanical strength, swelling performance, biocompatibility, rapid wound healing, and cost‐effectiveness, highlighting their strong potential for commercial wound‐dressing applications.