Photothermal Therapy with In Situ Self-healing, Antibacterial,
Conductive and Biocompatible Dual Network Hydrogel Promotes Infected
Skin Wound Healing
Abstract
Herein, we develop a novel dual network hydrogel system for the
treatment of infected full-thickness skin wounds, leveraging the
synergistic effects of TA-modified MXene and bacterial cellulose within
a polyvinyl alcohol-borax/GelMA hydrogel matrix. The incorporation of
bacterial cellulose, a natural biopolymer produced by certain bacteria,
enhances the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the hydrogel
while providing a scaffold for cell adhesion and proliferation. The
addition of TA-modified MXene further enhances the antibacterial
efficacy of the hydrogel and enables photothermal therapy through NIR
light absorption. Moreover, the fabricated hydrogel demonstrated
excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, the in vivo study confirmed
that hydrogel can accelerate infectious wound healing under NIR
irradiation. The resulting hydrogel system offers a multifunctional
platform for combating infection, promoting wound healing, and
facilitating tissue regeneration in infected skin wounds.