All-in-One: A Multifunctional Chitosan-Based Hydrogel for Wound Management

Hydrogel dressings offer a promising treatment option for the bacterial infection of skin wounds. In this work, we developed multifunctional hydrogels by incorporating carbon nanotubes and protocatechualdehyde into a thiolated chitosan network via multiple interactions. The hydrogels exhibited tunable adhesion (2.7-3.1 kPa), on-demand detachment, as well as restorable antioxidant activity, approximately 80% of its original level. They demonstrated electrical conductivity, in the range of 0.009-0.027 S/m, and maintained stability for nearly 400 s under pressing cycles, suitable for monitoring physiological signals. They demonstrated potent mild photothermal antibacterial capability under near-infrared (NIR) light, with the temperature increasing to 48 ± 0.85 °C and the antibacterial rate up to 99.9%. In an infected mouse wound model, the hydrogels with NIR irradiation achieved ∼ 99.9% wound closure by day 9, outperforming a commercial antibiotic ointment. This work presents a comprehensive strategy for integrated biomass-based wound management systems, combining advanced therapy with smart bioelectronic sensing.