Hydrogel biomimetic skin inspired by human skin for resisting bacterial infection

Abstract

The flexible surface and chemical compatibility of hydrogels render them particularly appealing for research and development in antibacterial materials. However, designing tough hydrogels with multiple antibacterial mechanisms simultaneously remains a challenge. Inspired by the human skin, a hydrogel with bacterial antifouling, detection, and inactivation functions has been prepared using zwitterionic [2-(methylacrylyl) ethyl] dimethyl-(3-propyl sulfonate) ammonium hydroxide (SBMA) as the matrix and cadmium telluride quantum dots functionalised with cysteamine (CA-CdTe QDs) as the filler through micelle copolymerisation technology, achieving the integration of multiple antimicrobial mechanisms. The experimental analysis demonstrated that the SBMA/CA-CdTe/Micelle (SCM) hydrogel exhibited antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), proving its excellent broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. Introducing micelles imparts excellent hydrophilicity, stability, and mechanical properties to the SCM hydrogel. Moreover, the SCM hydrogels possess significant self-adhesive properties, enabling them to function as biomimetic skin that tightly adheres to target surfaces, protecting them from bacterial contamination. In addition, the SCM hydrogel biomimetic skin exhibits good electrical conductivity and biocompatibility, capable of converting the motion amplitude of human activity into stable electrical signals, suggesting potential for human motion sensing applications. Overall, the SCM hydrogel biomimetic skin designed in this work, as a multifunctional antibacterial platform, effectively reduces bacterial contamination and holds significant application potential in healthcare and life sciences.