A Photothermal-Responsive, Self-Contractile, and Highly Adhesive Double-Network Hydrogel.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing Technologies

Background:

• Traditional wound dressings often use biochemical methods, which are insufficient for chronic wound repair.
• Thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogels offer mechanical regulation but have limited contraction control.
• Existing methods struggle to meet the complex repair needs of chronic wounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an intelligent, photothermal dual-responsive hydrogel for enhanced wound repair.
• To create a material that overcomes the limitations of purely thermo-responsive hydrogels.
• To provide a non-pharmaceutical, mechanically regulated solution for complex wound healing.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dual-network hydrogel: PNIPAm-CMCS@TA-Mg²⁺ (PCTM).
• Utilized photothermal conversion of TA-Mg²⁺ for precise temperature control and enhanced adhesion.
• Leveraged PNIPAm's thermally sensitive phase transitions for photothermal self-contraction and volume regulation.

Main Results:

• The PCTM hydrogel demonstrated synergistic photothermal and thermal-sensitive contraction, achieving 54.8% volume reduction at 37°C.
• Near-infrared light irradiation increased volume contraction to 65.78% within 10 minutes.
• The hydrogel exhibited significant adhesion strength (42.8 kPa) and reduced swelling ratio (32.41%).

Conclusions:

• The developed PCTM hydrogel offers an intelligent material solution for complex wound repair.
• The synergistic photothermal-thermally sensitive mechanism enhances repair precision and adaptability.
• This approach advances mechanically regulated repair strategies for challenging wound conditions.