Quaternized chitosan-g-polyaniline (QCSP)-based versatile immunomodulatory conductive supramolecular hydrogel with...

Burn injuries are prone to life-threatening complications due to bacterial infection, excessive oxidative stress, and persistent inflammation, often culminating in scarring that impairs skin barrier function, causes limb constructure, anhidrosis and sensory deficits. The critical challenges in burn wound management include suppressing bacteria colonization, scavenging reactive oxygen species, resolving inflammation, and promoting rapid scarless healing with functional regeneration of epidermis and skin appendages. Despite advancements in biomedical wound dressings, achieving rapid functional healing (the regenerative reconstruction of skin appendages and epidermis) remains a significant hurdle. Herein, we report a multifunctional and conductive supramolecular hydrogel based on quaternized chitosan-g-polyaniline (QCSP), 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzaldehyde (THB), and tannic acid (TA)/Zn²⁺ crosslinked through dynamic noncovalent and Schiff base covalent interactions. This dynamically crosslinked interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) endows the hydrogel with injectability, conductive, stable mechanical properties, self-healing capacity, and integrated functionalities including antibacterial activity, antioxidant effects, and immunomodulation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that this supramolecular hydrogel significantly accelerated functional healing of infected burn wounds by promoting re-epithelialization, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, and regenerating multiple skin appendages, likely through activation of ERK1/2 and STAT3 signaling pathways. Owing to its facile and cost-efficient fabrication and breadth of bioactive functions, this hydrogel shows strong promise as wound dressing for scarless, functional reconstruction after burn injury.