pH Monitoring Sensor for Wound and Manufacturing Method of the Same and Repairing Method of the Same

Abstract

The present invention discloses a pH monitoring sensor for wounds comprising a base fabric formed by a fiber and color-changing dye particles coated on the base fabric that change color according to pH, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for regenerating the same.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor for monitoring the pH of a wound on the skin of the body, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for regenerating the same. Background Technology

[0002] The skin is the outermost tissue of the body that comes into direct contact with the external environment. It performs various physiological functions, such as blocking the intrusion of dangerous elements like bacteria and toxins, and maintaining body temperature and internal moisture through the secretion of sweat. Generally, healthy skin autonomously regulates its pH to a slightly acidic level of 4 to 6 through the sweat and sebum secreted by the skin. This slightly acidic skin acts as an excellent skin barrier by inhibiting the activity of bacteria and microorganisms, most of which are alkaline.

[0003] However, when a wound occurs on the skin, alkaline bacteria or microorganisms penetrate the skin, leading to an infected state that causes inflammation or itching. It is known that when the skin is infected, the pH value exceeds 7.4. Furthermore, when the skin's pH rises above 7.0, enzymes that break down proteins internally become activated, delaying wound healing and causing increasingly severe damage. Therefore, it is necessary for patients suffering from chronic skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, or those whose skin has been temporarily damaged by external wounds from traffic accidents or surgery, to monitor their skin pH to verify the progress of wound healing.

[0004] Methods for monitoring pH include potentiometrics, optical pH measurement utilizing optical methods, and the use of pH test strips, such as litmus paper, that change color according to pH. While potentiometrics and optical pH measurement allow for precise pH measurements, they require expensive equipment and take a significant amount of time, making it difficult to monitor multiple wounds simultaneously. In contrast, the pH test strip method allows for simultaneous measurement of multiple wounds by simply attaching the strip to the wound. Furthermore, the pH test strip method enables easy monitoring of pH changes through color changes that are immediately perceptible to the naked eye. Additionally, the pH test strip method offers the advantages of being portable and highly economical.

[0005] However, while pH test strips have a wide measurement range of pH 1 to 14, the color change is small in the wound pH range of 7 to 9, making it difficult to perceive with the naked eye. Additionally, since most pH test strips are made of paper, they may have difficulty adhering to the skin or cause pain to the patient when peeled off. Furthermore, pH test strips are difficult to reuse. The problem to be solved

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a wound pH monitoring sensor that allows for easy visual recognition of pH changes and has high adhesion to the skin, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for regenerating the same. means of solving the problem

[0007] The wound pH monitoring sensor of the present invention is characterized by comprising a base fabric formed from a fabric formed by fibers and color-changing dye particles coated on the base fabric that change color according to pH.

[0008] In addition, the base fabric may include cotton yarn or cotton yarn and elastic yarn.

[0009] In addition, the above-mentioned discoloration dye particles can be formed from alpha-naphtholphthalein (Naph).

[0010] In addition, the above-mentioned color-changing dye particles can be formed in a nanoscale size.

[0011] In addition, the color-changing dye particles may be coated on the surface of the fibers of the base fabric or embedded between the fibers of the base fabric.

[0012] In addition, the method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a step of preparing a water bath by heating water to a water bath temperature of 80 to 98°C to prepare a water bath; a step of preparing a CTAB aqueous solution by dissolving CTAB in the water bath to prepare a CTAB aqueous solution; a step of preparing a color-changing dye solution by adding a color-changing dye to the CTAB aqueous solution to prepare a color-changing dye solution; a step of coating color-changing dye particles by the color-changing dye onto the base fabric; and a step of cleaning the base fabric coated with the color-changing dye particles with a residue cleaning solution.

[0013] In addition, the method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to the present invention may further include a base fabric cleaning step in which the base fabric is immersed in a fabric cleaning solution and cleaned before the discoloration dye particle coating step.

[0014] In addition, the above CTAB aqueous solution may be formed by mixing the CTAB in the above water bath at a concentration of 0.1 to 2.0 weight%.

[0015] In addition, the color-changing dye solution may be formed by mixing the color-changing dye into the CTAB aqueous solution in an amount of 0.01 to 2.0 weight%.

[0016] In addition, the color-changing dye solution may be formed by mixing the color-changing dye and the CTAB in a weight ratio such that the color-changing dye : CTAB is 1 : 9 to 11.

[0017] In addition, the above-mentioned color-changing dye may include alpha-naphtholphthalein.

[0018] In addition, the color-changing dye particle coating step may coat the entire interior or surface of the base fabric with the color-changing dye particles by immersing the base fabric in the color-changing dye solution.

[0019] In addition, the color-changing dye particle coating step may partially coat the surface of the base fabric with the color-changing dye particles by spraying the color-changing dye solution onto the base fabric.

[0020] In addition, the wound pH monitoring sensor regeneration method of the present invention is a method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor, comprising: a water washing step of washing the used wound pH monitoring sensor with water; an acetic acid aqueous solution washing step of washing the wound pH monitoring sensor washed with water with an acetic acid aqueous solution; a regeneration CTAB aqueous solution immersion step of immersing the wound pH monitoring sensor washed with the acetic acid aqueous solution in a regeneration CTAB aqueous solution; a water rinsing step of rinsing the wound pH monitoring sensor that was immersed in the regeneration CTAB aqueous solution with water; and a sensor drying step of drying the rinsed wound pH monitoring sensor.

[0021] In addition, the above aqueous acetic acid solution may be formed by mixing acetic acid with water in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 weight percent.

[0022] In addition, the above-mentioned regenerated CTAB aqueous solution may be formed by mixing CTAB with water at a concentration of 0.1 to 0.5 weight percent. Effects of the invention

[0023] According to the wound pH monitoring sensor and the method for manufacturing the same of the present invention, the wound pH monitoring sensor has a large color change in the range of 7 to 9, which is the pH value of the wound, so it is easy to visually recognize the pH change.

[0024] In addition, according to the wound pH monitoring sensor and the method for manufacturing the same of the present invention, since the wound pH monitoring sensor is formed with a fabric base, it can be easily adhered to the skin and easily detached from the skin.

[0025] In addition, according to the wound pH monitoring sensor and the method for manufacturing the same of the present invention, since the color-changing dye is dissolved using water instead of an organic solvent and the color-changing dye particles are coated onto the base fabric, the degree of pain caused to the attached wound can be reduced.

[0026] In addition, according to the wound pH monitoring sensor, the method for manufacturing the same, and the method for regenerating the same of the present invention, since it is formed from a base fabric, it is not damaged even when washed and can be reused. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0027] FIG. 1 is a photograph of a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the wound pH monitoring sensor of Figure 1. FIG. 3 is a process flowchart of a method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a photograph of the CATB aqueous solution prepared in the CTAB aqueous solution preparation step of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of CATB micelles present in the CATB aqueous solution of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a photograph of the color-changing dye solution prepared in the color-changing dye solution preparation step of Figure 3. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of alpha-naphtholphthalein-CATB micelles present in the discoloration dye solution of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a photograph of the base fabric immersed in the color-changing dye solution during the color-changing dye particle coating step of Figure 3. FIG. 9 is a process flowchart of a method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a photograph showing a color change in response to a pH buffer solution by the wound pH monitoring sensor of the present invention. Figure 11 is a photograph showing a color change in response to a pH buffer solution of the wound pH monitoring sensor of the present invention formed on a cotton sock. Figure 12 is a photograph showing the color change of a discoloration dye solution according to the content of alpha-naphtholphthalein. Figure 13 is a photograph showing the color change of a wound pH monitoring sensor prepared from the color-changing dye solution of Figure 12. Figure 14 is an SEM image of the wound pH monitoring sensor of 0.1 wt% of Figure 13. Figure 15 is an AFM image of the wound pH monitoring sensor of 0.1 wt% of Figure 13. Figure 16 is an AFM image of the base fabric used in the wound pH monitoring sensor. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0028] Hereinafter, a wound pH monitoring sensor according to embodiments of the present invention, and a method for manufacturing and regenerating the same, will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0030] First, a wound pH monitoring sensor according to embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a photograph of a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the wound pH monitoring sensor of FIG. 1.

[0032] A wound pH monitoring sensor (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a base fabric (110) and color-changing dye particles (120), with reference to FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2.

[0033] The above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) may be formed by distributing color-changing dye particles (120) on a plate-shaped base fabric (110) having a predetermined area. The above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) may be formed by distributing color-changing dye particles (120) on the surface or / and inside of the base fabric (110) or by embedding them between the fibers of the base fabric (110).

[0034] The above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) can be formed with various surface areas and shapes depending on the shape and size of the wound used. For example, the above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) can be formed in a shape such as a towel, bandage, adhesive bandage, arm sleeve, or sock. Since the above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) is formed based on a fabric, it can be applied in a wearable form that adheres closely to the skin while deforming along the curves. The above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) adheres to the wound on the skin and can change color according to the pH of the wound by coming into contact with or absorbing liquid substances coming from the wound. The above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) can be formed as a halochromic sensor that can monitor the pH of the wound by changing color according to pH changes. The above-described wound pH monitoring sensor (100) does not require power because the dye coating layer reacts with the liquid substance to change color.

[0036] The base fabric (110) may be formed as a fabric formed in various ways by fibers. For example, the base fabric (110) may be formed as a fabric by weaving, knitting, lace, or felting. Since the base fabric (110) is formed as a fabric rather than a film, it can efficiently absorb liquid substances from the wound when in contact with the wound. The base fabric (110) can cause liquid substances absorbed at the contact surface with the wound to diffuse into the interior of the base fabric (110) and to the opposite side of the contact surface.

[0037] The base fabric (110) may be formed from cotton yarn. Additionally, the base fabric (110) may be formed from a mixed fiber in which cotton yarn and elastic yarn are mixed. For example, the base fabric (110) may be formed by weaving a mixed fiber in which cotton yarn and elastic yarn are mixed. Additionally, the base fabric (110) may be formed by independently including cotton yarn and elastic yarn. For example, the base fabric (110) may be formed by weaving cotton yarn and elastic yarn together. The weight ratio of the cotton yarn and elastic yarn may be equal to or higher than that of the elastic yarn. More specifically, the cotton yarn and elastic yarn may be formed by mixing them in a weight ratio of 50 to 70: 30 to 50. If the content of the cotton yarn is too low, the adhesion of the color-changing dye particles (120) may be reduced. Additionally, if the content of the cotton yarn is too high, the elasticity and durability of the base fabric (110) may be reduced.

[0038] Here, the cotton yarn may refer to thread spun from cotton. Since the cotton yarn has a relatively low density, it is soft and may have a higher degree of liquid absorption compared to other yarns. Therefore, the cotton yarn can cause the base fabric (110) to bend smoothly and adhere more closely to the skin. Additionally, since the cotton yarn has a soft texture, it may not irritate the wound when attached to it. Furthermore, the cotton yarn can increase the degree of absorption of the color-changing dye that forms the color-changing dye particles (120). Therefore, the cotton yarn can allow the color-changing dye particles (120) to be efficiently formed on the surface. Additionally, the cotton yarn can efficiently fix the color-changing dye particles (120) to increase the adhesion of the color-changing dye particles (120) to the base fabric (110).

[0039] The elastic yarn may refer to a resin synthetic fiber having elasticity. The elastic yarn may be any one fiber selected from polyester fiber, rayon fiber, linen fiber, acrylic fiber, and spandex fiber. In particular, the elastic yarn may be a spandex fiber, which is a polyurethane synthetic fiber. The spandex fiber may have elasticity similar to rubber. The elastic yarn can impart elasticity and stretchability to the base fabric (110). Additionally, since the elastic yarn is a resin synthetic fiber, it can increase the durability of the base fabric (110).

[0041] The color-changing dye particles (120) may be formed from a color-changing dye that changes color depending on the pH. The color-changing dye may include alpha-naphtholphthalein (Naph). Additionally, the color-changing dye may preferably be formed from alpha-naphtholphthalein (Naph). The alpha-naphtholphthalein may change color from colorless or yellow to green or greenish blue between pH 6.0 and 9.0. The color-changing dye particles (120) may be formed by coating the color-changing dye onto the surface of the base fabric (110). That is, the color-changing dye particles (120) may be coated on one side and the other side of the base fabric (110), or coated on one side of the base fabric (110). The color-changing dye particles (120) may be coated on the surface of the fibers of the base fabric (110). Additionally, the color-changing dye particles (120) may be embedded between the fibers of the base fabric (110). The color-changing dye particles (120) may be coated wholly or partially on the surface of the base fabric (110). Additionally, the color-changing dye particles (120) may be formed into a coating layer that is wholly coated on the surface of the base fabric (110) and the surface of the fibers.

[0042] The above-mentioned color-changing dye particles (120) can be formed as nanoscale particles. The above-mentioned color-changing dye particles (120) can be coated by being strongly bonded to the base fabric (110) at a nanoscale through hydrogen bonding. The above-mentioned color-changing dye particles (120) can be formed with a size of several nanometers to tens of nanometers. Here, size may refer to the diameter or width of the particles. The above-mentioned color-changing dye particles (120) can be coated by being strongly bonded to the base fabric (110).

[0043] The above-mentioned color-changing dye particles (120) can change color according to the pH of the wound as they come into contact with the liquid substance of the wound that is introduced or absorbed by the base fabric (110) when a wound pH monitoring sensor (100) is attached to the wound. The above-mentioned base fabric (110) can absorb the liquid substance of the wound from the contact surface that contacts the wound and spread it to the opposite side of the contact surface. Therefore, the above-mentioned color-changing dye particles (120) can change color due to the liquid substance of the wound while located on the opposite side and inside the contact surface of the base fabric (110).

[0045] The following describes a method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a process flowchart of a method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a photograph of a CATB aqueous solution prepared in the CTAB aqueous solution preparation step of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of CATB micelles present in the CATB aqueous solution of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a photograph of a color-changing dye solution prepared in the color-changing dye solution preparation step of FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of alpha-naphtholphthalein-CATB micelles present in the color-changing dye solution of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a photograph of a base fabric immersed in a color-changing dye solution in the color-changing dye particle coating step of FIG. 3.

[0047] A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, may include a water bath preparation step (S11), a CTAB aqueous solution preparation step (S12), a color-changing dye solution preparation step (S13), a color-changing dye particle coating step (S15), and a residue cleaning step (S16). Additionally, the method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor may further include a base fabric cleaning step (S14).

[0048] The above method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor can manufacture a wound pH monitoring sensor (100) according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 by distributing color-changing dye particles (120) on a base fabric (110). The above method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor can dissolve a color-changing dye with low solubility in water into micelle form using a surfactant. Since the above method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor uses water instead of an organic solvent, it can avoid causing pain to the wound when the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) is attached to the wound.

[0050] The above water bath preparation step (S11) is a step of preparing a water bath by heating water to a bath temperature. The bath temperature may be in the range of 80 to 98°C. The bath temperature may preferably be in the range of 85 to 95°C. The water may be deionized water. The above water bath preparation step (S11) may prepare a bath of water of a predetermined weight.

[0052] The step of preparing the CTAB aqueous solution (S12) above is a step of preparing a CTAB aqueous solution by dissolving CTAB in a water bath. The CTAB (cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide) can be mixed in the water bath at a concentration of 0.1 to 2.0 wt%. That is, the CTAB aqueous solution can be formed by mixing water at 98.0 to 99.9 wt% and CTAB at 0.1 to 2.0 wt%. As shown in FIG. 4, the CTAB aqueous solution can be prepared as a transparent solution. As shown in FIG. 5, the CTAB exists in a micelle state within the CTAB aqueous solution. That is, the CTAB includes a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail, and can exist in a micelle form with the hydrophilic head facing outward. The CTAB can dissolve a substance that has no solubility in water by forming it into a micelle form using a surfactant.

[0054] The step of preparing the color-changing dye solution (S13) is a step of preparing a color-changing dye solution by adding a color-changing dye to an aqueous CTAB solution. In the step of preparing the color-changing dye solution (S13), the color-changing dye may be added while maintaining the aqueous CTAB solution at the coating solution temperature. The coating solution temperature may be the same as the water bath temperature. For example, the coating solution temperature may be in the range of 85 to 95°C. The color-changing dye may be mixed such that the weight ratio with CTAB is color-changing dye : CTAB 1 : 9 to 11. Additionally, the color-changing dye may be mixed into the aqueous CTAB solution at 0.01 to 2.0 weight%. That is, the color-changing dye solution may be formed by mixing the aqueous CTAB solution at 98.0 to 99.99 weight% and the color-changing dye at 0.01 to 2.0 weight%. Additionally, the color-changing dye can preferably be mixed into the CTAB aqueous solution in an amount of 0.03 to 0.2 weight%. That is, the color-changing dye solution can be formed by mixing the CTAB aqueous solution in an amount of 99.8 to 99.97 weight% and the color-changing dye in an amount of 0.03 to 0.2 weight%. If the amount of the color-changing dye is too small, the color change according to pH may be negligible, and if the amount of the color-changing dye is too large, the uniformity of the distribution of the color-changing dye particles (120) may be reduced by the solute that is not dissolved and precipitates.

[0055] The above-mentioned color-changing dye may be alpha-naphtholphthalein (Naph). The above-mentioned alpha-naphtholphthalein has low solubility in water and does not dissolve well. In contrast, the above-mentioned alpha-naphtholphthalein dissolves well in organic solvents such as alcohol. Therefore, the above-mentioned alpha-naphtholphthalein can be dissolved in water in the form of micelles by CTAB. The step of preparing the color-changing dye solution (S13) may involve heating the color-changing dye solution with added CTAB to a water bath temperature and stirring until it becomes a transparent solution. As shown in FIG. 6, the color-changing dye solution is initially opaque (left photo) when alpha-naphtholphthalein is added, and changes to a transparent state (right photo) as time passes. The above-mentioned alpha-naphtholphthalein has its own bright yellow color and remains in an opaquely dispersed state in the color-changing dye solution. In addition, the alpha-naphtholphthalein gradually forms alpha-naphtholphthalein-CTAB micelles, as shown in FIG. 7. That is, the alpha-naphtholphthalein is located at the center of the micelles formed by CTAB and can be dissolved in water. Therefore, the color-changing dye solution can change to a transparent orange color.

[0057] The above base fabric cleaning step (S14) is a step of cleaning the base fabric (110) by immersing it in a fabric cleaning solution. The fabric cleaning solution may be an aqueous solution in which acetic acid is mixed with water at a concentration of 0.1 to 2 weight percent. The above base fabric cleaning step (S14) may be performed for 10 to 40 minutes. Additionally, the above base fabric cleaning step (S14) may be performed together with ultrasonic treatment. The above base fabric cleaning step (S14) may further wash the base fabric (110) with water to make it neutral. The above base fabric cleaning step (S14) may remove contaminants attached to the base fabric (110) by washing the base fabric (110) with an acidic fabric cleaning solution and neutralizing it with water. Since the above wound pH monitoring sensor (100) is attached to the wound area, it is necessary to remove contaminants attached to the base fabric (110) during the manufacturing process of the base fabric (110).

[0059] The above color-changing dye particle coating step (S15) is a step of coating color-changing dye particles (120) onto a base fabric (110), as shown in FIG. 8. The above color-changing dye particle coating step (S15) can be performed by immersing the base fabric (110) in a color-changing dye solution so that the color-changing dye particles (120) are coated onto the base fabric (110). The color-changing dye solution can seep between the fibers of the base fabric (110) to coat the color-changing dye particles (120) between the fibers of the base fabric (110). Additionally, the color-changing dye solution can coat the color-changing dye particles (120) onto the surface of the base fabric (110). The above color-changing dye particle coating step (S15) can be performed by immersing the base fabric (110) in a color-changing dye solution maintained at a particle coating temperature for at least 30 minutes. The particle coating temperature may be the same as the water bath temperature. For example, the particle coating temperature may be in the range of 85 to 95°C. As the base fabric (110) expands at the particle coating temperature, the color-changing dye can be more efficiently introduced between the fibers of the base fabric (110).

[0060] Additionally, the color-changing dye particle coating step (S15) may be performed by spraying a color-changing dye solution onto the base fabric (110). At this time, the color-changing dye particle coating step (S15) may be performed by spraying the color-changing dye solution while heating the base fabric (110) to a particle coating temperature. The color-changing dye particles (120) may be coated on a partial area of ​​the base fabric (110), and may be coated on an area of ​​the base fabric (110) that is a polygonal shape, such as a circular or square shape, a pentagonal shape, or a hexagonal shape. The color-changing dye particle coating step (S15) may be performed by partially spraying the color-changing dye solution onto the base fabric (110) so that the color-changing dye particles (120) are coated on a circular or polygonal shape. At this time, the color-changing dye particle coating step (S15) may involve coating the color-changing dye particles (120) on one side or the other side of the base fabric (110), or coating the color-changing dye particles (120) on the interior between the one side and the other side.

[0062] The residue cleaning step (S16) described above is a step for cleaning residues remaining on a base fabric (110) coated with color-changing dye particles (120). The residue may include color-changing dye liquid or color-changing dye particles (120) remaining on the surface and inside the base fabric (110) coated with color-changing dye particles (120). The residue cleaning step (S16) may further proceed with a process of drying the cleaned base fabric (110). The residue cleaning step (S16) may clean the base fabric (110) with a residue cleaning solution to remove residues remaining on the base fabric (110) and dry it. The coating cleaning solution may be water. Therefore, the residue cleaning step (S16) may clean residues by immersing the base fabric (110) coated with color-changing dye particles (120) in water. In addition, the residue cleaning step (S16) may be further dried for at least one hour at a drying temperature of 70 to 90°C. The residue cleaning step (S16) can clean the residue remaining on the base fabric (110) to manufacture a wound pH monitoring sensor (100).

[0064] The following describes a method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] FIG. 9 is a process flowchart of a method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] A method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention may include, with reference to FIG. 9, a water washing step (S21), an acetic acid aqueous solution washing step (S22), a regenerating CTAB aqueous solution immersion step (S23), a water rinsing step (S24), and a sensor drying step (S25).

[0067] The above method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor allows the wound pH monitoring sensor (100), which has been attached to a wound and used, to be regenerated by washing and drying it. The wound pH monitoring sensor (100) may be contaminated during use by various liquid substances, including blood present in the wound, and solid substances such as scabs. The above method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor enables the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) to be regenerated and reused.

[0069] The above water washing step (S21) is a step of washing the used wound pH monitoring sensor (100) with water. The above water washing step (S21) may remove contaminants by spraying water onto the surface of the wound pH monitoring sensor (100). Additionally, the above water washing step (S21) may remove contaminants by immersing the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) in water. The water may be pure water or tap water.

[0071] The above acetic acid aqueous solution washing step (S22) is a step of washing the wound pH monitoring sensor (100), which has been washed with water, with an acetic acid aqueous solution. The acetic acid aqueous solution can be prepared by mixing acetic acid with water in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 weight%. That is, the acetic acid aqueous solution can be formed by mixing water in an amount of 99.5 to 99.9 weight% and acetic acid in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 weight%. The above acetic acid aqueous solution washing step (S22) can wash away contaminants by immersing the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) in an acidic acetic acid aqueous solution. For example, the acetic acid aqueous solution can wash away liquid or solid substances attached to the wound pH monitoring sensor (100).

[0073] The above regenerated CTAB aqueous solution immersion step (S23) is a step of immersing the wound pH monitoring sensor (100), which has been washed with an acetic acid aqueous solution, into a regenerated CTAB aqueous solution. The regenerated CTAB aqueous solution can be prepared by mixing CTAB with water in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 weight%. That is, the regenerated CTAB aqueous solution can be formed by mixing water in an amount of 99.5 to 99.9 weight% and CTAB in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 weight%. The above CTAB aqueous solution immersion step neutralizes the sensor that has become acidic due to the acetic acid aqueous solution by immersing the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) in the regenerated CTAB aqueous solution. In addition, the above CTAB aqueous solution immersion step makes the pH monitoring sensor neutral, so that the color change of the pH monitoring sensor appears more quickly in the range of 7 to 9, which is the pH value of the wound.

[0075] The above water rinsing step (S24) is a step of rinsing the wound pH monitoring sensor (100), which was immersed in the regenerated CTAB aqueous solution, with water. The above water rinsing step (S24) may be performed until the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) turns green. To shorten the time, the water rinsing step (S24) may be performed by rubbing the wound pH monitoring sensor (100). The water may be pure water.

[0077] The sensor drying step (S25) is a step of drying the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) that has been rinsed with water. The sensor drying step (S25) may be carried out at a drying temperature of 60 to 80°C for a drying time of 10 to 30 hours. The sensor drying step (S25) may be carried out until the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) turns light yellow. The sensor drying step (S25) can restore the wound pH monitoring sensor (100) to its pre-use state so that it can be used.

[0079] The following describes the evaluation results of a wound pH monitoring sensor according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] Figure 10 is a photograph showing a color change in response to a pH buffer solution by the wound pH monitoring sensor of the present invention. Figure 11 is a photograph showing a color change in response to a pH buffer solution by the wound pH monitoring sensor of the present invention formed on a cotton sock.

[0081] As shown in Fig. 10, the above-described wound pH monitoring sensor has an overall bright yellow color. It can be confirmed that the above-described wound pH monitoring sensor does not undergo a color change with respect to a buffer solution with a pH of 6. It can be confirmed that the above-described wound pH monitoring sensor changes to increasingly darker colors when reacting with buffer solutions with pH 7, pH 8, and pH 9. As explained above, healthy skin is slightly acidic with a pH of 4 to 6, while wounded skin is slightly alkaline with a pH of 7 to 9. Additionally, in the case of chronic wounds, the pH of the wounded skin may be 8 to 9, and in the case of infected wounds, the pH may be 7 to 8. Since the above-described wound pH monitoring sensor changes color from yellow to green to blue depending on the pH at pH 7 or higher, it can monitor the condition of the wound when attached to the wound.

[0082] In addition, the above-mentioned wound pH monitoring sensor can also be formed on commercially available cotton socks, as shown in FIG. 11. That is, the above-mentioned wound pH monitoring sensor can be formed by coating color-changing dye particles (120) onto a sock formed from cotton yarn or blended yarn. The wound pH monitoring sensor formed on the sock can be seen to change color according to pH. In addition, although not specifically illustrated, the above-mentioned wound pH monitoring sensor can also be implemented in patient gowns or daily wear for patients with various skin diseases.

[0084] The following describes a method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] Figure 12 is a photograph showing the color change of a color-changing dye solution according to the content of alpha-naphtholphthalein. Figure 13 is a photograph showing the color change of a wound pH monitoring sensor prepared from the color-changing dye solution of Figure 12.

[0086] As shown in Fig. 12, the color-changing dye solution was prepared by mixing alpha-naphtholphthalein with an aqueous CTAB solution at concentrations of 0.01 wt%, 0.03 wt%, 0.05 wt%, 0.1 wt%, and 0.2 wt%, respectively. Additionally, the color-changing dye solution was prepared by mixing alpha-naphtholphthalein and CTAB in a weight ratio of approximately 10:1. When the content of alpha-naphtholphthalein was 0.03 wt% or higher, the color-changing dye solution exhibited a weakly acidic pH of about 5 to 6, displaying an orange color without any color change of alpha-naphtholphthalein. However, when the content of alpha-naphtholphthalein was 0.01 wt%, alkaline properties were exhibited by the CTAB remaining after forming alpha-naphtholphthalein-CTAB micelles, causing the color-changing dye solution to display a neutral green color.

[0087] Figure 13 is a photograph showing the color change of a wound pH monitoring sensor prepared from the color-changing dye solution of Figure 12.

[0088] A wound pH monitoring sensor was prepared using the color-changing dye solution of Fig. 12. As shown in Fig. 13, the wound pH monitoring sensor was prepared by immersing a white base fabric in each color-changing dye solution. The wound pH monitoring sensor was formed by coloring all of them bright yellow as the color-changing dye solution formed color-changing dye particles on the surface of the base fabric. In addition, even when the alpha-naphtholphthalein content is 0.01 wt%, the wound pH monitoring sensor is colored yellow, enabling pH monitoring characteristics.

[0090] Fig. 14 is an SEM image of the wound pH monitoring sensor of 0.1 wt% in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is an AFM image of the wound pH monitoring sensor of 0.1 wt% in Fig. 13. Fig. 16 is an AFM image of the base fabric used in the wound pH monitoring sensor.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 14, the surface morphological characteristics of the wound pH monitoring sensor were not clearly identified. Therefore, it is determined that no morphological changes occurred in the wound pH monitoring sensor at the micro-scale. As shown in FIG. 15 (a), a phase difference caused by discoloration dye particles is clearly observed in the dark and bright regions of the phase image of the wound pH monitoring sensor. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 15 (b), grooves and cavities with random depths in the range of 100 nm are observed in the adjacent fiber regions of the height image of the wound pH monitoring sensor. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 16, these features are not observed in the base fabric. Therefore, the wound pH monitoring sensor can confirm that discoloration dye particles are effectively coated and distributed on the base fabric at the nanoscale from surface roughness information obtained from the phase and height images of the AFM photograph.

[0093] A wound pH monitoring sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention has a color change characteristic according to pH, and changes color from light yellow to green and blue as pH increases in the range of pH 6 to 9. The color change of the wound pH monitoring sensor corresponds to the color change in the pH range (pH 6 to 9) that is clinically meaningful for the state of a healthy (or healed) or infected or chronic wound, depending on the severity of the wound. Therefore, since the wound pH monitoring sensor has a clear color change and an effective pH response range, it can be utilized as a sensor for detecting the degree of infection of a wound.

[0095] The present invention has been described in detail so far, focusing on the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the invention; they should be considered in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense. The true technical scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical concept of the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. Explanation of the symbols

[0096] 100: pH monitoring sensor for wounds 110: Base fabric 120: Color-changing dye particles

Claims

Claim 1 A wound pH monitoring sensor characterized by comprising a base fabric formed by a fiber and color-changing dye particles coated on the base fabric that change color according to pH. Claim 2 A wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the base fabric comprises cotton yarn or cotton yarn and elastic yarn. Claim 3 A wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the color-changing dye particles are formed of alpha-naphtholphthalein (Naph). Claim 4 A wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 3, characterized in that the color-changing dye particles are formed in a nanoscale size. Claim 5 A wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 3, characterized in that the color-changing dye particles are coated on the surface of the fibers of the base fabric or embedded between the fibers of the base fabric. Claim 6 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor, characterized by comprising: a water bath preparation step of preparing a water bath by heating water to a water bath temperature of 80 to 98°C; a CTAB aqueous solution preparation step of preparing a CTAB aqueous solution by dissolving CTAB in the water bath; a color-changing dye solution preparation step of preparing a color-changing dye solution by adding a color-changing dye to the CTAB aqueous solution; a color-changing dye particle coating step of coating color-changing dye particles by the color-changing dye onto the base fabric; and a residue cleaning step of cleaning the base fabric coated with the color-changing dye particles with a residue cleaning solution. Claim 7 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 6, further comprising a base fabric cleaning step of immersing the base fabric in a fabric cleaning solution to clean it before the discoloration dye particle coating step. Claim 8 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that the CTAB aqueous solution is formed by mixing the CTAB in the water bath at a concentration of 0.1 to 2.0 weight%. Claim 9 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that the color-changing dye solution is formed by mixing the color-changing dye in the CTAB aqueous solution at a concentration of 0.01 to 2.0 weight%. Claim 10 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that the color-changing dye solution is formed by mixing the color-changing dye and the CTAB in a weight ratio such that the color-changing dye : CTAB is 1 : 9 to 11. Claim 11 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that the color-changing dye comprises alpha-naphtholphthalein. Claim 12 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 5, wherein the step of coating the color-changing dye particles is performed by immersing the base fabric in the color-changing dye solution so that the color-changing dye particles are coated entirely on the interior or surface of the base fabric. Claim 13 A method for manufacturing a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 6, wherein the color-changing dye particle coating step is performed by spraying the color-changing dye solution onto the base fabric so that the color-changing dye particles are partially coated on the surface of the base fabric. Claim 14 A method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: a water washing step of washing the used wound pH monitoring sensor with water; an acetic acid aqueous solution washing step of washing the wound pH monitoring sensor washed with water with an acetic acid aqueous solution; a regenerating CTAB aqueous solution immersion step of immersing the wound pH monitoring sensor washed with the acetic acid aqueous solution in a regenerating CTAB aqueous solution; a water rinsing step of rinsing the wound pH monitoring sensor that was immersed in the regenerating CTAB aqueous solution with water; and a sensor drying step of drying the rinsed wound pH monitoring sensor. Claim 15 A method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 14, characterized in that the aqueous acetic acid solution is formed by mixing acetic acid with water in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 weight percent. Claim 16 A method for regenerating a wound pH monitoring sensor according to claim 14, characterized in that the regenerated CTAB aqueous solution is formed by mixing CTAB with water in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 weight%.

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