A series of novel bacterial cellulose/C60 (BCC60) composites was prepared using a original dehydration-rehydration method. The composites were characterized to demonstrate their potential in multifunctional wound dressings for skin cancer treatment using photodynamic therapy. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the C60 nanoparticles were successfully incorporated into the bacterial cellulose (BC) network. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the morphology and distribution of the C60 particles as photosensitizers in the bacterial cellulose network, and the C60 particles were uniformly distributed in the hyperfine three-dimensional BC network with diameters less than 100 nm. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurements indicated that the BCC60 composites possessed a high ROS generation ability when exposed to light. The antibacterial assessment of the BCC60 composites revealed their ability to inhibit the growth of E. coli and S. aureus and their relationship with light irradiation. In vitro cell experiments also confirmed that the BCC60 composites had low cytotoxicity in the dark, while they exhibited significant cancer cell damage activity under visible light.
This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.