Conductive and Antibacterial Hydrogel Based on Bacterial Cellulose@Cu NPs for Accelerated Diabetic Wound Healing and Health Monitoring

Electrical stimulation (ES) via rigid electrodes near the wound is a promising approach for treating chronic wounds, but it cannot stimulate the entire wound area or address infected wounds. Conductive hydrogels enable both endogenous and exogenous current conduction, promote intercellular signaling, and conduct current from external ES to the wound site, thereby enhancing cell migration and angiogenesis. The combined hydrogel dressing/ES treatment strategy can promote wound healing throughout the entire healing process. Despite significant achievements in accelerating wound healing as electroactive dressings, conductive hydrogels face multiple challenges: an imbalance between high conductivity and mechanical properties, lack of antimicrobial activity, and poor adhesion. This study designed and assembled a CuNP-functionalized bacterial cellulose hydrogel exhibiting outstanding antimicrobial properties and favorable mechanical performance. This hydrogel exhibits conductivity comparable to human skin (41.25 ms/m) and mechanical strength (1120% tensile strain), while maintaining good tissue adhesion (up to 27.34 kPa on pig skin) and antibacterial efficacy (>99%). When combined with exogenous ES on diabetic wounds, the hydrogel promotes collagen deposition and angiogenesis, accelerating skin tissue remodeling (reducing wound area to 24.3% within 7 days). Additionally, it functions as a sensor for monitoring human motion and microexpressions. This conductive hydrogel demonstrates significant potential in chronic wound healing and bioelectronics.