A Mechanically Resilient and Tissue‐Conformable Hydrogel with Hemostatic and Antibacterial Capabilities for Wound Care

Abstract

AbstractHydrogels are used in wound dressings because of their tissue‐like softness and biocompatibility. However, the clinical translation of hydrogels remains challenging because of their long‐term stability, water swellability, and poor tissue adhesiveness. Here, tannic acid (TA) is introduced into a double network (DN) hydrogel consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) to realize a tough, self‐healable, nonswellable, conformally tissue‐adhesive, hemostatic, and antibacterial hydrogel. The TA within the DN hydrogel forms a dynamic network, enabling rapid self‐healing (within 5 min) and offering effective energy dissipation for toughness and viscoelasticity. Furthermore, the hydrophobic moieties of TA provide a water‐shielding effect, rendering the hydrogel nonswellable. A simple chemical modification to the hydrogel further strengthens its interfacial adhesion with tissues (shear strength of ≈31 kPa). Interestingly, the TA also can serve as an effective hemostatic (blood‐clotting index of 58.40 ± 1.5) and antibacterial component, which are required for a successful wound dressing. The antibacterial effects of the hydrogel are tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Finally, the hydrogel is prepared in patch form and applied to a mouse model to test in vivo biocompatibility and hemostatic performances.