Conductive Hyaluronic Acid/Deep Eutectic Solvent Composite Hydrogel as a Wound Dressing for Promoting Skin Burn Healing Under Electrical Stimulation

Abstract

Burns can cause severe damage to the skin owing to bacterial infection and severe inflammation. Although conductive hydrogels as electroactive burn‐wound dressings have achieved remarkable effects on accelerating wound healing, issues such as imbalance between their high conductivity and mechanical properties, easy dehydration, and low transparency must be addressed. Herein, a double‐network conductive eutectogel is fabricated by integrating polymerizable deep eutectic solvents (PDESs) including acrylamide/choline chloride/glycerol (acrylamide‐polymerization crosslink) and thiolated hyaluronic acid (disulfide‐bonding crosslink). The introduction of PDESs provides the eutectogel with a conductivity (up to 0.25 S·m−1) and mechanical strength (tensile strain of 59% to 77%) simulating those of natural human skin, as well as satisfactory tissue adhesiveness, self‐healing ability, and antibacterial properties. When combined with exogenous electrical stimulation, the conductive eutectogel exhibits the ability to reduce inflammation, stimulate cell proliferation and migration, promote collagen deposition and angiogenesis, and facilitate skin tissue remodeling. This conductive eutectogel shows great potential as a dressing for healing major burn wounds.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved