A facile novel approach
of introducing dopamine and [2-(methacryloyloxy)
ethyl] dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide via dopamine-triggered
in situ synthesis into gelatin hydrogels in the presence of ZnSO4 is presented in this study. Remarkably, the resulting hydrogels
showed 99.99 and 100% antibacterial efficiency against Gram-positive
and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively, making them the highest
performing surfaces in their class. Furthermore, the hydrogels showed
adhesive properties, self-healing ability, antifreeze properties,
electrical conductivity, fatigue resistance, and mechanical stability
from −100 to 80 °C. The added multifunctional performance
overcomes several disadvantages of gelatin-based hydrogels such as
poor mechanical properties and limited thermostability. Overall, the
newly developed hydrogels show significant potential for numerous
biomedical applications, such as wearable monitoring sensors and antibacterial
coatings.