MoS2@PDA@Ag/PVA Hybrid Hydrogel with Excellent Light‐Responsive Antibacterial Activity and Enhanced Mechanical Properties for Wound Dressing

Abstract Hydrogel is an ideal wound dressing material because of its 3D network structure, which is similar to that of the extracellular matrix. However, it is a challenge to design antibiotic‐free hydrogels with both antibacterial activity and enhanced mechanical strength. In this study, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hybrid hydrogel incorporated with molybdenum disulfide@polydopamine@silver (MoS 2 @PDA@Ag) is prepared for rapid killing of bacteria under irradiation with near‐infrared (NIR) light. The interpenetration of MoS 2 ‐based nanoparticles and PVA molecular chain significantly improves the mechanical property of the hydrogel. The hydrogels demonstrate an excellent photothermal effect and antibacterial activity, and the photocatalytic properties are considerably enhanced by Ag doping. The hydrogel exhibits favorable antibacterial activity after irradiation with 808 nm NIR light for 15 min due to the synergistic effect of reactive oxygen species and hyperthermia. Meanwhile, in vitro 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay further demonstrated that all hydrogels are nontoxic when their effects are examined against mouse fibroblasts ( L929 ) cells. In addition, the MoS 2 @PDA@Ag/PVA hydrogel can promote wound healing compared with the pure PVA hydrogel, demonstrating its significant potential in mitigating bacterial infection of wounds.