A novel nonreleasing antibacterial hydrogel dressing with good reusability was prepared by polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide, methyl methacrylate, 1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium, and acrylamide. The ionic liquid of 1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium was polymerized in the hydrogel to endow the hydrogel dressing with an antibacterial property. The successful synthesis of the hydrogel dressing was proven by FT-IR spectroscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry. The morphology of the hydrogel was confirmed to be a porous and interconnected network structure by scanning electron microscopy. The resultant hydrogel dressing showed many desirable features, such as a good protein adsorption property and repeatable adhesiveness as well as excellent mechanical properties. Remarkably, the hydrogel dressing displayed broad antibacterial activity against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and fungal Candida albicans. In addition, the hydrogel dressing applied locally on wounded skin of rats could effectively avoid early infection and further accelerate wound healing. The results indicated that the nonreleasing antibacterial hydrogel had potential application in wound dressing.
Keywords: antibacterial property; hydrogel; wound dressing.