Smart pH-Responsive Conductive Polyurethane Fibers: Doping Strategies for Advanced Wound Care

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Wound Healing Research
• Conductive Polymers

Background:

• Skin wound healing involves dynamic pH changes.
• Traditional wound dressings lack adaptability to the microenvironment.
• Conductive materials offer potential for smart wound therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a pH-responsive conductive fibrous membrane for wound healing.
• To investigate the electroactivity and antibacterial efficacy of the dCP membrane under varying pH conditions.
• To evaluate the therapeutic effects of the dCP dressing on wound healing processes in a preclinical model.

Main Methods:

• Electrospinning of protonic acid-doped conductive polyurethane (dCP) fibrous membranes.
• Optimization using camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) doping.
• Evaluation of conductivity, electroactivity, and antibacterial properties at physiological pH (7.4, 6.7, 7.9).
• In vitro assessment of macrophage polarization (M1-to-M2).
• In vivo wound healing study in a rat model using histological and immunohistochemical analyses.

Main Results:

• CSA-doped dCP membranes exhibited stable conductivity (4.72-9.48 × 10^-4 S/cm) and >98% antibacterial efficacy against *Staphylococcus aureus* across pH levels.
• Conductivity increased significantly under alkaline conditions (pH 7.9).
• The dCP membrane promoted M1-to-M2 macrophage polarization at pH 6.7.
• In vivo, dCP dressings improved inflammation suppression, angiogenesis, nerve regeneration, and collagen remodeling, while minimizing scar formation.

Conclusions:

• The developed pH-adaptive CSA-doped conductive dressing offers a self-regulating, multitasking strategy for advanced wound healing.
• This smart material effectively addresses limitations of static dressings by adapting to the dynamic wound microenvironment.
• The dCP membrane demonstrates significant potential for enhancing both wound healing and antibacterial efficacy.