Poly(vinyl alcohol) is one of the most attractive polymers with a wide range of uses because of its water solubility, biocompatibility, low toxicity, good mechanical properties, and relatively low cost. This review article focuses on recent advances in poly(vinyl alcohol) electrospinning and summarizes parameters of the process (voltage, distance, flow rate, and collector), solution (molecular weight and concentration), and ambient (humidity and temperature) in order to comprehend the influence on the structural, mechanical, and chemical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)-based electrospun matrices. The importance of poly(vinyl alcohol) electrospinning in biomedical applications is emphasized by exploring a literature review on biomedical applications including wound dressings, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and biosensors. The study also highlights a new promising area of particles formation through the electrospraying of poly(vinyl alcohol). The limitations and advantages of working with different poly(vinyl alcohol) matrices are reviewed, and some recommendations for the future are made to advance this field of study.

Wound healing is a dynamic and complex mechanism. The healing process is affected by many factors, which can be local factors such as wound type, depth of the damaged tissue and bacterial contamination or systemic factors such as patient’s age, diet, and diseases. Prior goals should be shortening the wound healing time, ease the pain of the patient and limiting the scar formation. Therefore, the wound should be evaluated profoundly, and the wound care process decided carefully. In this study, textile-hydrogel hybrids were designed to use in mild to moderate exudate wounds. Hydrogels were formed using natural based sodium alginate and chitosan polymers in different cross-linker (PEGDGE) concentrations. To identify the optimum formulation the mechanical properties (hardness, compressibility, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and elasticity) was examined by texture profile analysis. The gel flow properties were determined by rheological analysis. The suitable formulations for dermal applications were formed on viscose and Tencel nonwovens. Physical features (mass and thickness), pH, absorbency characteristics, transfer properties (air and water vapor permeability), morphologic features (SEM), chemical properties (FT-IR) of textile-based hydrogel dressings were examined.

In this research, an industrially adaptable method is designed for antibacterial clothing. The essential oils of oregano and lavender were extracted using water vapor distillation, then they were spray-dried to form microcapsules. Comprehensive morphological analysis revealed the round shape of the microcapsules with smooth surfaces. The mean size of the optimum oregano and lavender microcapsules were 5.2 µm and 2.2 µm. The essential oils were detected in the polymeric matrix as peaks of microcapsules’ infrared spectra resembled both oils and polymer. Thermal analyses showed that encapsulation delays the degradation of the essential oil. The microcapsules were applied to six different fabrics used in sports and leisurewear by exhaustion. Scanning electron microscopy images indicated the existence of capsules after 10 washes. The antibacterial properties of cotton fabrics were assessed against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in terms of the oil and washings. The developed products can serve as a long-lasting, natural antibacterial alternative to other products on the market.