Wound healing remains a major biomedical challenge, requiring the design of advanced multifunctional dressings that can simultaneously manage exudates, prevent microbial infection, and provide controlled drug release. In this study, amphiphilic Janus nanofibers were fabricated via a conjugate bubble electrospinning technique, integrating hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains within a single fibrous structure. The hydrophilic side was composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blended with chitosan (CS) or sodium alginate (SA), while the hydrophobic side consisted of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) loaded with curcumin (Cur) or rutin (Ru).
Comprehensive characterization, including fiber diameter, air permeability, tensile strength, and water contact angle, was performed to evaluate physicochemical properties. Biological performance was assessed through in vitro drug release, antibacterial activity against Vibrio vulnificus and E. coli, cell viability using L929 fibroblasts, and in vivo wound healing in a murine full-thickness excisional wound model. Results demonstrated that the incorporation of CS and SA significantly enhanced hydrophilicity and exudate absorption, while rutin-loaded PCL facilitated efficient drug release compared to PVDF-based systems. Antibacterial studies confirmed strong inhibitory activity in Janus scaffolds containing SA, and cell viability assays indicated high biocompatibility, particularly in SA-based nanofibers.
Among the various formulations, Janus nanofibers composed of SA-PVA on the hydrophilic side and PCL–rutin on the hydrophobic side (PSA/PCRu) achieved the best overall performance, with superior in vitro drug release, minimal cytotoxicity, and the highest wound closure rate (95.2% at day 15) in vivo. Degradation and thermal analyses further confirmed the structural stability and tunability of the scaffolds.
This work highlights conjugate bubble electrospinning as a scalable platform for fabricating multifunctional Janus nanofibers. The resulting chitosan- and alginate-based wound dressings offer synergistic benefits in exudate management, antimicrobial defense, and sustained therapeutic delivery, positioning them as promising candidates for next-generation wound care applications.
