Multifunctional antimicrobial dressings are equipped with fluorescent sensors that glow brightly
Also smart headbands developed by the teamscientists and engineers at RMIT University are using the powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties of magnesium hydroxide to help wounds heal faster.
The new dressings are cheaper to produce than silver-based dressings, but are just as effective against bacteria and fungi.
Currently, the only way to check the condition of wounds is to remove the bandages, which is both painful and risky: pathogens can enter an unhealed wound.
Vy Khanh Truong is a graduate student vice-president at RMIT.
New smart headbands not only combatbacteria and reduce inflammation to promote healing, they also help monitor wounds. During the work, the research group synthesized nanolayers that are 1000-10 thousand times thinner than a human hair, and embedded them in nanofibers.
Magnesium hydroxide nanolayers respond to pH changes, so they are easy to use as sensors to track healing.
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