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Updated: Jul 13, 2025

Fabrication and Characterization of a Conformal Skin-like Electronic System for Quantitative, Cutaneous Wound Management
Published on: September 2, 2015
Silver Nanowire Reinforced Conductive and Injectable Colloidal Gel for Effective Wound Healing Via Electrical
Yaxin Du1, Xu Yan1, Sheng Chen1
1Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Reaction Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, P. R. China.
Abstract:
The remarkable biocapacity, injectability, and adaptability of colloidal gels lead to their widespread use in tissue engineering as irregular defect implants. However, multifunctionalities including electroconductivity and antibacterial property are highly required for colloidal gels. In addition, the inherently weak mechanical property of physically crosslinked colloidal gels limits their application. Herein, Ag nanowires (Ag NWs)-reinforced colloidal gels composed of biocompatible gelatin nanoparticles and polydopamine-modified Ag NWs through the controlled electrostatic assembly, which are injectable and conductive, are presented. 1D Ag NWs can significantly improve the mechanical and electrical properties of the colloidal gel while maintaining its inherent excellent injectability. Owing to the network of Ag NWs, the storage modulus and conductivity of the optimized Ag NW colloidal gel are 7.5 and 13 times higher, respectively, than those of the colloidal gel made up of polydopamine-modified Ag nanoparticles with equivalent Ag concentration. Further, this Ag NW colloidal gel can adapt to sharp wounds on skin, which accelerates the healing of an MRSA-infected wound via electrical stimulation.

