Eco‐Friendly Fabrication of PVA /Chitosan Hydrogel With Superior Mechanical Strength and Antibacterial Efficacy

ABSTRACT Green hydrogels hold promise for biomedical applications but are limited by weak mechanical properties. Here, we report a chitosan (CS)–reinforced polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel (PVA) fabricated via eco‐friendly freeze–thaw cycles, achieving dual enhancement in mechanical strength and antibacterial efficacy. Incorporating 3 wt% chitosan increased compressive strength from 0.36 MPa in pure PVA to 2.92 MPa at 80% strain, while maintaining over 80% recovery after cyclic compression. The porous structure of the fabricated hydrogel and hydrogen‐bonded network enabled sustained ciprofloxacin (CIP) release over 72 h. Antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus improved significantly with CS addition, reaching 99% efficiency at 3% CS content, while CIP integration achieved complete bacterial eradication (100% efficiency). Synergistic action between the contact‐based bactericidal activity of CS and CIP sustained release eliminated colony formation, demonstrating superior inhibition of both Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria. This green strategy delivers a mechanically robust, multifunctional hydrogel for infection‐resistant biomedical applications.