Graphene oxide-based platforms for wound dressings and drug delivery systems: A 10 year overview

Abstract

In the past few years, the outstanding properties of the best-known derivative of graphene, the graphene oxide (GO), have led to a wide increase of its spectra of application. GO-based composites have been reported as chemically and mechanically stable, presenting good biocompatibility and great antimicrobial potential. Also, GO's two-dimensional planar structure coupled with its large availability of oxygen-related functional groups can turn this material into a good candidate for several biomedical devices, including wound dressings (WD) and drug delivery systems (DDS). In this scenario, the present review compiles the most advanced and innovative research in WD and DDS containing GO, conducted in last 10 years. An overview of GO's global and specific biomedical properties was presented, alongside with a description of the current GO and GO-based composites producing methods for biomedical applications. In addition, the future challenges, and perspectives of the application of GO for WD and DDS were briefly analysed.