A Transparent, Tough and Self-Healable Biopolymeric Composites Hydrogel for Open Wound Management

ACS Appl Bio Mater. 2023 Sep 18;6(9):3810-3822. doi: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00455. Epub 2023 Aug 25.

Abstract

Modern healthcare engineering requires a wound dressing solution supported by materials with outstanding features such as high biological compatibility, strong mechanical strength, and higher transparency with effective antibacterial properties. Here, we present a unique hydrogel technology consisting of two negatively charged biopolymers and a positively charged synthetic polymer. The interaction between charged polymers through hydrogen bonds has been created, which are revealed in the simulation by density functional theory and Fourier transform infrared spectra of individual polymers and the hydrogel film. The transparent hydrogel film dressings showed excellent stretchability, a higher water swelling ratio (60%), and strong mechanical strength (∼100 MPa) with self-healing abilities (85-90%). The fabricated hydrogel film showed stable blood clots (within 119 ± 15 s) with rapid hemostasis (<2%) properties and effective antibacterial studies against E. coli and S. aureus bacterial strains. In addition, the obtained hydrogel film also showed excellent cell viability on mouse fibroblast cells. With their enormous amenability to modification, these hydrogel films may serve as promising biomaterials for wound dressing applications.

Keywords: Antibacterial; Biocompatible; Hydrogel Film; Mechanically Strong; Rapid Blood Clotting.; Self-healing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bandages
  • Escherichia coli*
  • Hydrogels* / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Staphylococcus aureus

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents