Synthesis and Characterization of Anti-fungus,Anti-corrosion and Self-cleaning Hybrid Nanocomposite Coatings Based on Sol–Gel Process

Anti-corrosion, anti-fungus, and self-cleaning properties of coatings containing ZnO–TiO₂, SiO₂–TiO₂ and SiO₂/TiO₂/ZnO nanoparticles synthesized based on sol–gel precursors using tetra methoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane, tetra (n-butyl orthotitanate) and zinc acetate dihydrate were investigated by FESEM, EDAX and TEM analyses. Results indicated uniform dispersion of inorganic nanoparticles in the range of 20–40 nm in size. Anti-corrosion property of the hybrid coating was characterized by EIS measurements and parametrically analyzed in an equivalent circuit when the coating was exposed to salt solution. Results showed that, ZnO and TiO₂ nanoparticles enhance anti-corrosion property of the hybrid coatings. Anti-fungus and anti-bacterial properties of the coatings were determined by diameter of inhibition zone and inhabitation of bacterial growth, respectively. The coating containing ZnO and TiO₂ nanoparticles showed anti-fungus and anti-bacterial properties which were related to their photocatalytic properties. Degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution was determined by UV–Visible tests which indicated self-cleaning property of the coatings containing ZnO and TiO₂ nanoparticles.     

Plasma-sprayed TiO2 coatings: Hydrophobicity enhanced by ZnO additions

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) powder mixed individually with 10 and 30 weight percentage (wt%) ZnO was thermally sprayed onto a grade B API 5 L carbon steel substrate by atmospheric plasma spraying. The effect of the addition of ZnO (10 wt% and 30 wt%) on the microstructures and wettability properties of the TiO₂/ZnO coatings was investigated. The characterization of the coatings was carried out using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser confocal microscope, and sessile droplet system. The XRD analysis of the coating revealed that the anatase phase of TiO₂ in the powder state transformed into rutile phases for the produced TiO₂/ZnO coatings. Surface microstructure analysis revealed that the coatings had typical micro-roughened surfaces of plasma spraying products. The coating with 30 wt% ZnO produced a coating with remarkable pores and microcracks compared with the TiO₂ coating and coating with 10 wt% ZnO. Additionally, the increase in the wt% of ZnO increased the surface roughness value of the produced coatings and substantially changed the wettability properties of the TiO₂ coating from hydrophilic to hydrophobic.     

Silicon-Doped Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes Promoted Bone Formation on Titanium Implants

While titanium (Ti) implants have been extensively used in orthopaedic and dental applications, the intrinsic bioinertness of untreated Ti surface usually results in insufficient osseointegration irrespective of the excellent biocompatibility and mechanical properties of it. In this study, we prepared surface modified Ti substrates in which silicon (Si) was doped into the titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanotubes on Ti surface using plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) technology. Compared to TiO₂ nanotubes and Ti alone, Si-doped TiO₂ nanotubes significantly enhanced the expression of genes related to osteogenic differentiation, including Col-I, ALP, Runx2, OCN, and OPN, in mouse pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells and deposition of mineral matrix. In vivo, the pull-out mechanical tests after two weeks of implantation in rat femur showed that Si-doped TiO₂ nanotubes improved implant fixation strength by 18% and 54% compared to TiO₂-NT and Ti implants, respectively. Together, findings from this study indicate that Si-doped TiO₂ nanotubes promoted the osteogenic differentiation of osteoblastic cells and improved bone-Ti integration. Therefore, they may have considerable potential for the bioactive surface modification of Ti implants.     

Sol–gel preparation and characterization of antibacterial and self-cleaning hybrid nanocomposite coatings

ZnO–TiO₂, SiO₂–TiO₂, and SiO₂–TiO₂–ZnO hybrid nanocomposite coatings were synthesized based on sol–gel precursors including tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane (GPTMS), tetra(n-butyl orthotitanate) (TBT), and zinc acetate dihydrate. The hybrid network was characterized by FTIR, FESEM, and EDAX techniques. Results indicated that inorganic particles’ size was of nanoorder (20–30 nm), with very uniform distribution and dispersion. Photocatalytic and self-cleaning activities of these coatings were further investigated by degradation of methylene blue in an aqueous solution (20 ppm) at visible light irradiation, indicating photocatalytic performance of the coatings containing ZnO and TiO₂ nanoparticles. The antibacterial effect of the coatings was investigated for inhibition and inactivation of cell growth, with the results showing the same antibacterial activity for ZnO–TiO₂ and SiO₂–TiO₂–ZnO coatings against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus; the activity was, however, higher than that of SiO₂–TiO₂ hybrid nanocomposite coatings.     

Biocompatibility,corrosion resistance and antibacterial activity of TiO2/CuO coating on titanium

In this work, TiO₂/CuO coating was prepared on titanium (Ti) by combination of magnetron sputtering and annealing treatment. The microstructure, biocompatibility, corrosion resistance and antibacterial property of TiO₂/CuO coating were investigated in comparison with pure Ti and TiO₂ coating. The results show that TiO₂/CuO coating is mainly composed of TiO₂ and CuO. In vitro cytocompatibility evaluation suggests that no obvious toxicity appears on the TiO₂/CuO coating, and the coating stimulates the osteoblast spreading and proliferation. Compared with Ti and TiO₂ coating, TiO₂/CuO coating exhibits improved corrosion resistance and antibacterial ability against S.aureus. This study is the first attempt to apply the combination of magnetron sputtering and annealing treatment to introduce the Cu into TiO₂ coating for surface modification of Ti-based implant materials, which may provide a research foundation for further development of bioactive multifunctional coatings to meet the better clinical demand.     

Preparation and antibacterial activity of Ag/TiO2-functionalized ceramic tiles

An Ag/TiO₂ coating was deposited onto glazed ceramic tiles by a sol-gel and spraying method at high temperatures. The coating was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The results showed that silver was present in rutile-TiO₂, and the temperature did not change the phase composition of the samples. The Ag/TiO₂ coating had a higher roughness than the TiO₂ coating. The tape test (D 3359–08) showed that the coatings prepared at 950 °C and 1000 °C had good adhesion to the ceramic tile substrate. The antibacterial activity of the coating was tested by photocatalytic sterilization experiments. The results showed that the Ag/TiO₂ coating had a higher antibacterial activity than the TiO₂ coating, and the sterilization efficiency of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, and Salmonella exceeded 99.655% under 2 h of visible light irradiation. This research provides a method to create Ag/TiO₂ coatings with good thermal resistance, adhesion, and antibacterial activity. This improves the low photocatalytic activity caused by the anatase-to-rutile transformation of TiO₂ at high temperatures and the poor adhesion at low temperatures.     

Characterization and property of bifunctional Zn-incorporated TiO2 micro-arc oxidation coatings: The influence of different Zn sources

In the present work, Zn-incorporated TiO₂ coatings are prepared through a one-step micro-arc oxidation (MAO) method on a grade 4 pure titanium with the addition of either Na₂Zn-EDTA solution or ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as Zn sources. The microstructural features of both Zn-incorporated TiO₂ coatings were systematically examined. It is revealed that different Zn sources result in significant difference of phase component, chemical state, composition and morphology between the resultant Zn-incorporated MAO coatings. Zn species could be present as ZnO and Zn(OH)₂ in the coating when Na₂Zn-EDTA was used as Zn source whereas the presence of ZnO nano-clusters is obvious on the coating surface with ZnO NPs as Zn source. The addition of ZnO NPs during the MAO process also leads to a lower Zn content of the resultant coating, which is more defective with increased thickness in comparison to that of Na₂Zn-EDTA. Further, antibacterial property and osteogenic activity of both Zn-incorporated coatings were examined. Both Zn-incorporated coatings exhibit favourable bacterial inhibition ability and bone formability, suggesting the successful synthesis of bifunctional coatings through the facile one-step micro-arc oxidation method.     

Corrosion behavior of Zn-incorporated antibacterial TiO2 porous coating on titanium

Incorporation of antibacterial agents (e.g. Ag and Cu) at the surface of biomedical materials has evolved as a potentially effective method for preventing the bacterial infections. However, the antibacterial efficacy of medical device implants must necessarily be balanced by good corrosion resistance and the corrosion behavior of the antibacterial coatings has seldom been reported. In this work, Zn-incorporated antibacterial TiO₂ coating was produced on pure titanium (Ti) by micro-arc oxidization (MAO) and the electrochemical behavior was assessed. The results obtained from the antibacterial studies suggest that the Zn-incorporated TiO₂ coating provides bactericidal activity against both Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) over 90%. The corrosion behavior of Zn-incorporated TiO₂ coating were investigated using a combination of complementary electrochemical measurement techniques such as open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that the Zn-incorporated TiO₂ coating move the OCP to the positive direction and increase the polarization resistance, thereby enhances the corrosion resistance of pure Ti. Collectively, the Zn-incorporated TiO₂ coating with both antibacterial ability and anti-corrosive properties might be more suitable for biomedical surfaces.     

TiO2/ZnO double-layer broadband antireflective and down-shifting coatings for solar applications

Making full use of sunlight in solar cells requires reducing the reflection of light and minimizing spectral mismatch. Here, a TiO₂/ZnO double-layer coating with both wider band antireflection and down-shifting performance was prepared. TiO₂ sols and ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via the sol-gel method and then successively coated on the surface of the Si substrate by dip-coating. Computational simulations were used to obtain the optimal refractive index and thickness of the coatings. In the experiments, the thicknesses of the TiO₂ and ZnO coatings were adjusted by changing the lifting speed, and the refractive index of the TiO₂ and ZnO coatings were adjusted by adding the porosity inducing agent and varying the concentration of the solution. The TiO₂/ZnO coating reduces the reflectivity of the silicon substrate by 24.97% in the 400–1100 nm band, and the ZnO nanoparticles can convert light at approximately 345 nm–527 nm, reducing the spectral mismatch of the solar cell. The photocurrent of solar cells coated with TiO₂/ZnO coatings was markedly improved, with an increase of 29% in the average photocurrent at 300–800 nm. Herein, TiO₂/ZnO coatings have the potential to benefit the development of multifunctional coatings that are important for improving the efficiency of solar cells.     

Incorporation of ZnO–ZrO2 nanoparticles into TiO2 coatings obtained by PEO on Ti–6Al–4V substrate and evaluation of its corrosion behavior,microstructural and antibacterial effects exposed to SBF solution

In this research, Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation technique was used to incorporate ZnO–ZrO₂ nanoparticles into TiO₂ ceramic coating on Ti6–Al–4V using sodium phosphate as an electrolyte. The effect of adding these nanoparticles on corrosion, morphology, wettability and antibacterial properties in the simulated body fluid (SBF) solution was investigated. The results indicated nanoparticles modified the microstructure of coating, which increased corrosion resistance 12 times higher than that of substrate. Besides, ZrO₂ nanoparticles had the most significant effect on increasing the contact angle. In addition, due to the compatibility of zirconium and zinc oxides with human body environment, the antibacterial properties of coatings were significantly improved.     

TiO2–ZnO/Ni–5wt.%Al composite coatings on GH4169 superalloys by atmospheric plasma spray techniques and theirs elevated-temperature tribological behavior

Ni–based composite coatings with different amounts of TiO₂–ZnO were fabricated by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) to protect GH4169 superalloy substrates against excess wear and friction at elevated temperatures. In addition, the influence of the simultaneous addition of the oxides on the microstructure, microhardness, and wear behaviour was investigated. According to the results, the simultaneous addition of TiO₂/ZnO provides anti-friction and wear inhibition over 600 °C. In particular at 800 °C, the TiO₂–ZnO/Ni–5wt.%Al composite coating (10 wt% TiO₂ and 10 wt% ZnO were incorporated within Ni–5wt.%Al matrix) exhibits a superior lubricity and wear resistance compared to the Ni–5wt.%Al based coatings. The XRD, Raman, and TEM characterisations reveal the formation of a glaze oxide layer consisting of NiO, TiO₂, ZnO and the in-situ production of ternary oxide (Zn₂TiO₄), which was primarily responsible for the tribological performance of the sliding wear contacts at the specific temperature.     

Biodegradable magnesium alloy coated with TiO2/MgO two-layer composite via magnetic sputtering for orthopedic applications: A study on the surface characterization,corrosion, and biocompatibility

In this study, a coating of thin TiO₂ layer and a TiO₂/MgO double layer were created on the surface of AZ91D alloy by magnetic sputtering method in order to improve the corrosion and biocompatibility properties of this alloy. The microstructural studies by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that coatings were formed continuously and homogeneously on the alloy surface. In the double-layer coating, MgTiO₃ and Mg₂TiO₄ compounds were formed at the coating/substrate interface in addition to TiO₂ and MgO phases as the main phases in the coating structure. The results of corrosion test showed that in general, coating improves the corrosion of AZ91D alloy in simulated-body fluid (SBF). The double-layer coating showed the best corrosion resistance at a corrosion current of 5.743 × 10^?7 μA/cm² and a corrosion potential of ?1.513 V due to its cathodic protection of the substrate and blockage of the path of the corrosive solution towards the substrate. In vitro tests showed that considering the good match between the used materials as the coating and body, no toxic material exits which results in improvement in biocompatibility, adhesion, and bone-cell multiplication.     

Effectiveness of PANI/Cu/TiO2 ternary nanocomposite on antibacterial and antistatic behaviors in polyurethane coatings

Surfaces with antibacterial and antistatic functionalities are one of the new demands of todays' industry. Therefore, a facile method for the preparation of multifunctional polyaniline/copper/TiO₂ (PANI/Cu/TiO₂) ternary nanocomposite based on in situ polymerization is presented. This nanocomposite was characterized through the different techniques and was utilized for induction of antibacterial and antistatic properties in polyurethane coatings. Measurement of the conductivity of PANI/Cu/TiO₂ ternary nanocomposite indicated higher electrical conductivity of this nanocomposite compared to pure PANI. The antibacterial activity of the modified polyurethane coatings was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria which led to remarkable reduction in bacterial growth. Besides, it was observed that polyurethane coating with 2 wt % content of ternary nanocomposite has a surface electrical resistance equal 4 × 10⁸ Ω/sq which acquires surface electrical resistance of standard antistatic coatings. The final coatings were also characterized in terms of thermal and mechanical properties to investigate the effect of the ternary nanocomposite on improvement of these properties. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48825.     

Characterization of pigment-leached antifouling coatings using BET surface area measurements and mercury porosimetry

In this work BET surface area measurements and mercury porosimetry are used to characterize leached layers formed when seawater-soluble pigments (Cu₂O and ZnO) dissolve during accelerated leaching of simple antifouling coatings. Measurements on single-pigment coatings show that an increasing fraction of Cu₂O or ZnO pigment particles becomes unavailable for dissolution when the concentration of the pigment decreases in the coating and the interparticle distance in the binder matrix becomes larger. Experimental data for a coating initially containing a mixture of Cu₂O and TiO₂ pigments suggest that a substantial fraction of the smaller and inert TiO₂ particles may be lost from the coating upon dissolution of the larger Cu₂O particles. This inert particle translocation effect is important to take into account when interpreting polishing and leaching data and when developing mathematical models of antifouling coating behaviour because the active binder surface area and porosity of the leached layer are substantially increased. A similar effect was not observed for a coating with a mixture of ZnO and TiO₂ pigments. The two experimental methods are expected to be useful for practical analysis of leaching of seawater-soluble components from commercial antifouling coatings.     

Synergistic Effect of PVDF-Coated PCL-TCP Scaffolds and Pulsed Electromagnetic Field on Osteogenesis

Bone exhibits piezoelectric properties. Thus, electrical stimulations such as pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) and stimuli-responsive piezoelectric properties of scaffolds have been investigated separately to evaluate their efficacy in supporting osteogenesis. However, current understanding of cells responding under the combined influence of PEMF and piezoelectric properties in scaffolds is still lacking. Therefore, in this study, we fabricated piezoelectric scaffolds by functionalization of polycaprolactone-tricalcium phosphate (PCL-TCP) films with a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coating that is self-polarized by a modified breath-figure technique. The osteoinductive properties of these PVDF-coated PCL-TCP films on MC3T3-E1 cells were studied under the stimulation of PEMF. Piezoelectric and ferroelectric characterization demonstrated that scaffolds with piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ = −1.2 pC/N were obtained at a powder dissolution temperature of 100 °C and coating relative humidity (RH) of 56%. DNA quantification showed that cell proliferation was significantly enhanced by PEMF as low as 0.6 mT and 50 Hz. Hydroxyapatite staining showed that cell mineralization was significantly enhanced by incorporation of PVDF coating. Gene expression study showed that the combination of PEMF and PVDF coating promoted late osteogenic gene expression marker most significantly. Collectively, our results suggest that the synergistic effects of PEMF and piezoelectric scaffolds on osteogenesis provide a promising alternative strategy for electrically augmented osteoinduction. The piezoelectric response of PVDF by PEMF, which could provide mechanical strain, is particularly interesting as it could deliver local mechanical stimulation to osteogenic cells using PEMF.     

Bioactive HA/TiO2 coating on magnesium alloy for biomedical applications

Magnesium alloys are new class of biodegradable alloys having many favourable properties to overcome the limitations of currently used biomedical alloys. Recently, several coatings have been developed to overcome their higher degradation rate. In this regard, a new attempt has been made to develop Hydroxyapatite and Hydroxyapatite/TiO₂ coatings on magnesium alloys to increase the biocompatibility and reduce the corrosion rate. The coated surfaces were characterized by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Contact angle measurements proved higher hydrophilic nature of HA/TiO₂ coating compared to HA coating. In-vitro studies showed that HA–TiO₂ coated alloy exhibited higher osteoinduction compared to HA coated alloy. Hydrogen evolution studies and corrosion studies confirmed greater reduction in degradation rate of HA/TiO₂ coated alloy. Vickers microhardness test also showed enhancement in mechanical strength of the composite coated alloy compared to HA coated alloy. Three point bend test depicted better adherence of the HA/TiO₂ coating compared to HA coating on the substrate. Cell culture studies proved higher cell attachment and proliferation on composite coated alloy by controlling the release of magnesium ions into the surrounding body tissue.     

Construction of Er-doped ZnO/SiO2 composites with enhanced antimicrobial properties and analysis of antibacterial mechanism

Herein, silica carrier was used as underlying structure to prepare composite material loaded with rare earth element Er and Zn. Rare earth elements can improve antimicrobial effects of ZnO due to their specific electronic structure. Er–ZnO/SiO₂ hybrid antibacterial material was prepared through sol-gel method and its structure and morphology were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements. E. coli and S. aureus were selected as model bacteria to assess antibacterial activity of prepared hybrid material by plate coating method. Er–ZnO/SiO₂ exhibited good antibacterial activity towards E. coli and S. aureus. Increase in Er³⁺ concentration from 0.12% to 1.10% led to increase in antibacterial performance followed by subsequent decrease. Improving effect of Er relied on the molar ratio of Er doped in ZnO/SiO₂ hybrid material. The optimal sample was found to be 0.60%Er–ZnO/SiO₂, with antibacterial rates of 93.71% and 70.46% against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. Antibacterial mechanism was assessed by fluorescence detection of reactive oxygen species. In addition, flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure the amount of released Zn²⁺. Results also showed that 0.60%Er–ZnO/SiO₂ hybrid material generated more reactive oxygen species, released more Zn²⁺ ions, and had the largest surface area, which improved its antibacterial rate. Thus, Er enhanced antibacterial properties of ZnO/SiO₂, providing these composite materials with great potential as antibacterial products.     

Multifunction Sr doped microporous coating on pure magnesium of antibacterial,osteogenic and angiogenic activities

Strontium (Sr) ions were added to porous magnesium (Mg) oxide with silicon and fluorine by microarc oxidation (MAO) to improve its osteogenic and pro-angiogenic properties. First, pure Mg was oxidized by MAO, and Sr was added by electrolysis. The surface of the resulting Sr coating was characterized by SEM, EDS, and EDS mapping. The release of Sr ions was monitored by ICP-OES. The antibacterial property of the coating was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus. The effect of Sr coating on osteogenesis was tested in MC3T3-E1 cell line by performing cell adhesion and proliferation tests, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity detection, cell morphology characterization, alizarin red staining, and osteogenic-related gene expression analysis. Finally, HUVECs cells were used to test the effect of Sr coating on angiogenesis through cell migration and tube formation assays, VEGF quantification, chicken embryo chorioallantoic membranes (CAM) test, and angiogenic-related gene expression analysis. The results showed that Sr coating had a hierarchical microstructure with a microporous structure evenly covered with nano-grains and that the Sr elements from the coating were released slowly and continuously. Sr coating had effective antibacterial properties and promoted cell adhesion, proliferation, ALP release, calcium nodule formation, and upregulated osteogenic gene expression. Moreover, the coating could promote migration, tube formation, VEGF expression, and angiogenic gene upregulation in endothelial cells. Sr coating also enhanced angiogenesis of CAM. This study supports that Sr coating on Mg- MAO enhances osteogenesis and angiogenesis.     

Microstructure and piezoelectric properties of thermal sprayed Bi0.5(Na0.70K0.20Li0.10)0.5TiO3 ceramic coatings

The microstructure of Bi_0.5(Na_0.70K_0.20Li_0.10)_0.5TiO₃ (BNKLT) coatings fabricated by thermal spray method was closely examined by TEM, revealing the coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal perovskite main phases, and very minor secondary phases, while all amorphous phase was crystallized after heat treatment. Obtaining coexisting rhombohedral and tetragonal perovskite phases after the thermal spray process involving the melting-recrystallization and heat treatment process resulted in piezoelectric ceramic coating with excellent electrical and electromechanical properties. The effective piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ of the heat-treated BNKLT coating reached 86?pm/V with substrate clamping, measured over macroscale by laser scanning vibrometer.     

In situ synthesized chitosan–gelatin/ZnO nanocomposite scaffold with drug delivery properties: Higher antibacterial and lower cytotoxicity effects

In this work, chitosan–gelatin/zinc oxide nanocomposite hydrogel scaffolds (CS–GEL/nZnO) were prepared via in situ synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (nZnO) to reach a scaffold with both inherent antibacterial and drug delivery properties. The prepared nanocomposite hydrogel scaffolds were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectrometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. In addition, swelling, biodegradation, antibacterial, cytocompatibility, and cell attachment of the scaffolds were evaluated. The results showed that the prepared scaffolds had high porosity with a pore size of 50–400 μm and nZnO were well distributed without any agglomeration on the CS–GEL matrix. In addition, the nanocomposite scaffolds showed enhanced swelling, biodegradation, and antibacterial properties. Moreover, the drug delivery studies using naproxen showed that nZnO could control naproxen release. Cytocompatibility of the samples was proved using normal human dermal fibroblast cells (HFF2). In comparison to the previous reports which nZnO were simply added to the matrix of the scaffold, in situ synthesis of nZnO was led to higher antibacterial and lower cytotoxicity effects as a result of well distribution of nZnO in this method. According to the findings, the in situ synthesized CS–GEL/nZnO is strongly recommended for biomedical applications especially skin tissue engineering. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47590.