A Mechanically Resilient and Tissue-Conformable Hydrogel with Hemostatic and Antibacterial Capabilities for Wound...

Hydrogels are used in wound dressings because of their tissue-like softness and biocompatibility. However, the clinical translation of hydrogels remains challenging because of their long-term stability, water swellability, and poor tissue adhesiveness. Here, tannic acid (TA) is introduced into a double network (DN) hydrogel consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) to realize a tough, self-healable, nonswellable, conformally tissue-adhesive, hemostatic, and antibacterial hydrogel. The TA within the DN hydrogel forms a dynamic network, enabling rapid self-healing (within 5 min) and offering effective energy dissipation for toughness and viscoelasticity. Furthermore, the hydrophobic moieties of TA provide a water-shielding effect, rendering the hydrogel nonswellable. A simple chemical modification to the hydrogel further strengthens its interfacial adhesion with tissues (shear strength of ≈31 kPa). Interestingly, the TA also can serve as an effective hemostatic (blood-clotting index of 58.40 ± 1.5) and antibacterial component, which are required for a successful wound dressing. The antibacterial effects of the hydrogel are tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Finally, the hydrogel is prepared in patch form and applied to a mouse model to test in vivo biocompatibility and hemostatic performances.