Nano‐Functionalized Biopolymer Films with Green‐Synthesized CuO/Attapulgite for Light‐Promoted Antibacterial Therapy and Wound Healing

ABSTRACT The rapid emergence of drug‐resistant bacterial infections poses a significant global challenge to wound management, necessitating the development of alternative antibacterial strategies beyond conventional antibiotics. Herein, a plant‐mediated green synthesis approach is employed for fabricating visible‐light‐responsive copper oxide/attapulgite (CuO/APT) nanocomposites using Olea europaea leaf extract. The one‐dimensional APT serves as an effective biological template to promote heterogeneous nucleation and stabilization of ultrafine CuO nanoparticles (5–20 nm) with enhanced visible‐light catalytic activity. The nanocomposites are subsequently incorporated intoκ‐carrageenan/carboxymethyl chitosan (KC/CC) matrices to develop advanced photocatalytic wound dressings. The strong interfacial interactions between CuO/APT nanocomposites and biopolymer chains ensure homogeneous dispersion and improved mechanical performance. The optimal composite films exhibit good hydrophilicity with a water contact angle of 56.7°, superior moisture retention capacity of 64.9 ± 13.4% after 1 h drying, well‐balanced mechanical properties, and enhanced antibacterial effect with 99.8% inhibition rate against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus . In a rat model of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus ‐infected full‐thickness wounds, the composite films significantly accelerated healing through effective bacterial clearance, inflammation modulation, enhanced collagen deposition, and tissue regeneration. This study provides a sustainable and scalable strategy for designing light‐activated wound dressings with synergistic antibacterial/pro‐healing functions, offering a promising solution for combating drug‐resistant wound infections.