A Solar-Powered Hydrogel Platform for Precise Thermal Control and On-Demand Antibiotic Release in Infected Wound...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Bacterial-infected wounds present significant clinical challenges due to antibiotic resistance (AMR) and limitations of conventional photothermal therapy (PTT).
• Existing treatments often struggle with precise thermal control and controlled drug delivery, leading to potential tissue damage and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a pioneering solar-powered hydrogel platform for laser-independent PTT and on-demand antibiotic release.
• To engineer a system that offers precise thermal regulation and reduces antibiotic dosage for treating bacterial-infected wounds.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a hydrogel incorporating phase-change material (PCM)-engineered 3D ordered macroporous carbon (OMC).
• Characterization of OMC's solar absorptivity and solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency.
• Evaluation of the hydrogel's thermal regulation capabilities and vancomycin release kinetics under sunlight.
• Assessment of synergistic antibacterial efficacy and wound healing promotion in a murine model.

Main Results:

• The developed OMC achieved 96.5% solar absorptivity and 74.6% solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency.
• The hydrogel provided autonomous thermal regulation, stabilizing temperature at 44.5 ± 0.4°C.
• The system demonstrated pulsatile vancomycin release under sunlight, reducing antibiotic dosage by 41.4% compared to conventional hydrogels.
• In vivo studies showed accelerated wound healing, increased collagen deposition, and angiogenesis with no host cell cytotoxicity.

Conclusions:

• The solar-powered hydrogel platform offers a laser-independent PTT strategy for bacterial-infected wounds.
• This innovative system provides precise thermal control and on-demand drug release, effectively reducing antibiotic overuse.
• The developed hydrogel represents a portable, safe, and clinically translatable solution for advanced wound management.