A self-powered casein hydrogel E-dressing with synergistic photothermal therapy, electrical stimulation, and antibacterial effects for chronic wound management

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have recently demonstrated great application potential for accelerating wound healing in the field of medical research due to their unique electrical stimulation effect. Among the various types of TENGs, solid-liquid TENGs have attracted much attention due to their significant advantages, such as high contact-separation efficiency and a wide range of liquid motion. Therefore, this study innovatively proposed a solid-liquid biphasic TENG electronic dressing constructed from a casein hydrogel enhanced by the metal-organic framework Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8). This hydrogel dressing comprised sodium caseinate (SC)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes-polydopamine@polydopamine (MWCNT@PDA)/polyacrylamide (PAM)/ZIF-8. It ingeniously integrates multiple functions such as photothermal, photodynamic antibacterial, and electrical stimulation therapies, thereby establishing a new multimodal synergistic treatment paradigm. Notably, the addition of ZIF-8 not only controlled photothermal release of antibacterial agents but also facilitates the development of a distinctive solid-liquid biphasic operational modality in TENG system, achieving a 131 V peak output voltage through significant enhancement of electrical performance parameters. In addition, the TENG-based system adopts a non-contact electrical stimulation method for wound treatment, fundamentally reducing the risk of infection caused by direct contact. Experiments using mouse fibroblasts revealed that the simultaneous real-time use of near-infrared light and TENG can significantly improve the cell migration process. Empirical studies on animals demonstrated that it could accelerate tissue regeneration and wound healing by increasing collagen deposition and angiogenesis. Based on these results, this study provides new perspectives for the developing intelligent biomedical composites for future wound management.

Statement of significance

Chronic wounds have become a major threat to global medical and health fields due to pathogenic infections. Traditional wound dressings mostly focus on passive healing, which has limited effectiveness. To overcome these limitations, we developed an electronic dressing of a casein-based hydrogel TENG enhanced by a MOF. This electronic dressing combines photothermal, photodynamic antibacterial, and electrical stimulation functions and efficiently promotes wound healing through multifunctional synergy. This research provides a promising solution for diabetic wound care and a broader field of chronic wound treatment. It is a solid step in the scientific exploration of interdisciplinary integration, offering new ideas for making the wound treatment field more intelligent, efficient, and precise.