A self-regulating antimicrobial model based on the ion-exchange stimuli

In this study, a novel intelligent antimicrobial model was constructed based on the antibiotic properties of nano-silver and the ion-exchange response of dehydrated alginate (Alg) gel. Through the process of reducing reaction, hydrogel formation and dehydration, the model composed of Alg and nano-silver was fabricated. The distinguished feature of this model lies in its antimicrobial properties and biocompatibility. In this model, the releasing level of nano-silver is determined by the outside-in swelling of Alg composites, which is further self-regulated by the volume of wound exudates. The results showed that the released nano-silver was intelligently maintained within a constant concentration range, so that it could be further designed to exhibit antimicrobial activity without cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the murine wound infection model conducted with these composites resulted in a significant decrease of bacteria number. The self-regulating swelling feature based on the ion-exchange response of Alg along with the controlled release of nano-silver made this composite a promising intelligent model for antimicrobial wound dressing applications.