Montmorillonite/Agarose Three-Dimensional Network Gel Sponge for Wound Healing with Hemostatic and Durable Antibacterial Properties

Wound bleeding and infection are two major threats to patients’ lives, but the development of safe materials with high hemostatic efficiency and antimicrobial activity remains a great challenge. Montmorillonite (Mt) has been considered as the most effective hemostat among natural phyllosilicates; however, it has a high risk of thrombosis, which limited its clinical use. In this work, an Ag-Mt/agarose composite gel sponge (AMA) with rapid hemostatic property, enduring antibacterial activity, and good biocompatibility has been designed by simply coassembling Ag-Mt and agarose (AG) hydrogel. The AMA gel sponge exhibited good mechanical strength, water absorption, and retention ability, as the introduction of Mt can enhance the cross-linking between agarose molecules and reinforce the three-dimensional network pore structure of the hydrogel sponge, which is beneficial for rapid hemostasis. More importantly, the insertion of Ag+ into the interlayer of Mt can stabilize the Ag+ and slow down its release to obtain a sustained drug release system. As a result, AMA can successfully reduce wound infection and accelerate wound healing due to its synergistic effect of good antibacterial and hemostatic properties, which makes it a promising wound dressing in clinical use for timely and effective wound healing.