POM-Based Hydrogels for Efficient Synergistic Chemodynamic/Low-Temperature Photothermal Antibacterial Therapy

Bacterial infection of wound surfaces has posed a significant threat to human health and represents a formidable challenge in the clinical treatment. In this study, a novel antimicrobial hydrogel utilizing POM is synthesized as the primary component, with gelatin and sodium alginate as the structural framework. The resultant hydrogel demonstrates exceptional mechanical properties and viscoelasticity attributed to the hydrogen-bonded cross-linking between POM and gelatin, as well as the ionic cross-linking between sodium alginate and Ca²⁺. In addition, the integration of CuS nanoparticles conferred photothermal properties to the hydrogel system. To address the concerns regarding the potential thermal damage to the surrounding normal cells, this study employs a LT-PTT combined with CDT approach to achieve the enhanced antimicrobial efficacy while minimizing the inadvertent harm to the healthy cells. The findings suggested that POM-based hydrogels, serving as an inorganic-organic hybrid material, will represent a promising antimicrobial solution and offer valuable insights for the development of the non-antibiotic materials.