A Flexible PPDO-co-PEG-Based Copolymer Tissue Patch with High Interfacial and Cohesive Strength for Reliable Sealing...

Tissue patches have gained widespread attention for their ability to rapidly and effectively close tissue wounds. Nevertheless, maintaining robust adhesive strength under physiological conditions remains a significant challenge for current tissue adhesion materials. Herein, a tissue patch material based on a poly(p-dioxanone)-co-poly(ethylene glycol) (PPDO-co-PEG) copolymer is reported. This copolymer is engineered to exhibit a rigid-to-flexible transition property, with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) groups grafted onto its backbone as adhesive functional moieties. The semi-crystalline structure of the PPDO segments enhances cohesive strength, while PEG segments provide segmental mobility under physiological conditions, enabling NHS to penetrate irregular tissue interfaces and react with surface primary amine groups. Therefore, the patch exhibits excellent tissue adhesion performance, with dry and wet adhesive strength of 2.59 MPa and 189.6 kPa, respectively. Furthermore, the patch has the potential for multifunctional applications, such as effectively sealing wounds in multiple organs with outstanding pressure-resistant stability (326 mmHg), while also offering rapid hemostasis and accelerated tissue healing. In summary, this study presents a feasible design strategy for flexible, high-adhesion tissue patches, which show promising potential for clinical applications in wound management and tissue repair.