SUSTAINABLE GREEN FABRICATION OF MULTISCALE POLYMERIC NANOCOMPOSITE FROM Padina tetrastromatica: A STRUCTURAL INSIGHT INTO WOUND HEALING POTENTIAL ON HaCaT CELLS MODEL

Abstract

gThis study reports the green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using Padina tetrastromatica algal extract and their incorporation into starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrospun nanocomposite for enhanced wound healing applications. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed CuO NP formation via a distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 273 nm, while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed characteristic Cu–O bonds (602.84 cm⁻¹) and residual bioactive compounds from the extract. X ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the monoclinic tenorite phase of CuO NPs, whereas Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging demonstrated uniform nanoparticle dispersion within a porous, fibrous scaffold matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated thermal stability up to 300°C, and Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis revealed a hydrodynamic diameter of ~108 nm with a zeta potential of −22.13 mV, suggesting colloidal stability. The wound healing scratch assay on HaCaT keratinocytes demonstrated that starch/PVA/CuO NP nanocomposite significantly accelerated wound closure (95.65% at 100 µg/mL) compared to CuO NPs (83.65%) and algal extract (69.65%) alone. Enhanced cell migration was attributed to the synergistic effects of the nanocomposite bioactive composition and structural properties. These findings highlight the potential of starch/PVA/CuO-NP nanocomposite as an advanced multifunctional wound dressing material, combining biocompatibility, structural integrity, and therapeutic efficacy.