Mxene-Modified PMMA/Chitosan Composite E-Skin Scaffold: Bioelectronic and Antibacterial Assessment

Abstract

In tissue engineering, e-skin patches serve as wearable wound dressings for healing. In this study, electrospun nanofiber composites were developed by integrating PMMA, MXene, and chitosan (CS) to fabricate multifunctional e-skin scaffolds. The resulting PMMA–MXene–CS composite e-skin scaffolds exhibited a uniform fibrous morphology with average diameters of 600 ± 50 nm and high porosity (>85 %), providing an optimal microenvironment for tissue interfacing. Mechanical testing revealed that the PMMX:CS composite e-skin scaffold achieved a tensile strength of 13 MPa, a Young’s modulus of 0.38 GPa, and elongation at break of 200 %, representing increases of 225 %, 36 %, and 43 %, respectively, over pure PMMA. Dielectric spectroscopy demonstrated a minimal loss tangent (<0.05) across 10–100 kHz and a built-in potential of 1.19 V, while electrochemical impedance measurements showed a charge-transfer resistance of 1.38 kΩ and a low leakage current, indicating excellent signal fidelity for sensing applications. Thermal conductivity tests under 10 GPa pressure yielded 28 W/m⋅K, ensuring rapid heat dissipation. Antimicrobial assays against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans confirmed inhibition rates of 95 %, 92 %, and 99 %, respectively, significantly outperforming control samples. Furthermore, antibacterial assays also demonstrated broadspectrum efficacy, with inhibition zones up to 27.8 mm against Streptococcus pneumoniae and 26.4 mm against Listeria monocytogenes, and zones exceeding 25 mm for both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens. Thus, obtained results revealed that the combination of PMMA, MXene and CS significantly enhanced inhibition against gram-negative bacteria compared to the control groups. Overall, PMMA-MXene-CS composite e-skin scaffold demonstrated promising mechanical, electrical, and antimicrobial properties, positioning them as strong candidates for next-generation flexible, durable, and multifunctional e-skin applications.