Bovine
serum albumin (BSA)-based biomaterials have garnered significant
attention for their remarkable potential in wound healing, primarily
due to their effective biological actions in addressing the skin inflammation
phase and mitigating hypoalbuminemia. Motivated by these attributes,
a nanocomposite hydrogel is developed by blending BSA with poly(vinyl
alcohol) (PVA), complemented by the incorporation of graphene quantum
dot (GQD). The FTIR study establishes a hydrogen-bonding interaction
between the −NH2 groups of BSA and the −OH
group of PVA. Microscopic investigations establish that the dispersion
of GQDs with an average size of 22.5 nm results in smoothening of
the surface of the nanocomposite. The nanocomposite hydrogel reveals
excellent swelling attributes of about 920% in a period of 6 h due
to its optimum cross-linking condition. Furthermore, the hydrogel
exhibits a water vapor transmission rate of 8.45 mg cm–2 h–1, akin to the transmission rate of wounded
skin. The PVA/BSA@GQD nanocomposite’s antibacterial efficacy
is evaluated against Morganella morganii bacteria, showing 99% killing,
while its cytotoxicity assay against HeLa cells exhibited a minimum
cell viability of 76% at a 20 μM concentration, which is ideal
for a wound dressing material. In vivo wound healing
investigations are conducted on Drosophila, showcasing a 100% wound
surface closure within 4 h. This outcome is further substantiated
through in vivo studies involving mice, where complete
re-epithelialization is achieved within a span of 13 days. The combined
results establish the PVA/BSA@GQD nanocomposite as a potential wound
dressing material.