Behjat Erfan, Koohikar Alireza, Rahmati Sogand, Fathollah Maghsoudi Mohammad Amin, Gholami Reza, Kadkhodaie Kashani Ghazal, Tajabadi Maryam, Naghib Seyed Morteza, Rezaie Hamid Reza
School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):21939. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07752-6.
Hydrogels are increasingly recognized in biological research due to their unique characteristics and broad potential applications. In this study, a pH-responsive hydrogel-based nanocomposite was designed with antibacterial activity and self-healing ability, highlighting its promising applications in biomedical engineering and materials science. The hydrogel-based nanocomposite consists of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel crosslinked with borax (PB), zinc-based zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 nanoparticles modified with tannic acid (ZIF-8@TA), and garlic extract. The pH-responsiveness of the hydrogel arises from ZIF-8@TA and borax, which undergoes controlled degradation in acidic and basic conditions, enabling the targeted release of zinc ions beneficial for infected wounds. Its physicochemical and mechanical properties, self-healing abilities, and rheological behavior have been thoroughly investigated. The antimicrobial efficacy, antioxidant activity, biocompatibility, and release of zinc and sulfur ions were also evaluated. Mechanical analysis demonstrates tensile strengths ranging from 109 to 353 kPa, highlighting the material's versatility and suitability for applications such as wound dressings. Additionally, the hydrogels exhibited healing efficiencies ranging from 65.45 to 85.27% across samples with varying ZIF-8@TA concentrations (5-15 wt%). Antibacterial studies of hydrogels (0.5 g/mL) demonstrated 100% bacterial inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains, while significant antioxidant activity and sustained release of zinc and sulfur ions were observed over a 15-day period. These findings make the ZIF-8@TA-modified PVA hydrogel a promising candidate for advanced biomedical applications, addressing challenges in infection management, tissue regeneration, and adaptability to diverse wound environments.
水凝胶因其独特的特性和广泛的潜在应用，在生物学研究中越来越受到认可。在本研究中，设计了一种具有抗菌活性和自愈能力的pH响应性水凝胶基纳米复合材料，突出了其在生物医学工程和材料科学中的应用前景。该水凝胶基纳米复合材料由与硼砂（PB）交联的聚乙烯醇（PVA）水凝胶、用单宁酸改性的锌基金属有机框架-8纳米颗粒（ZIF-8@TA）和大蒜提取物组成。水凝胶的pH响应性源于ZIF-8@TA和硼砂，它们在酸性和碱性条件下会发生可控降解，从而实现对感染伤口有益的锌离子的靶向释放。对其物理化学和力学性能、自愈能力及流变行为进行了深入研究。还评估了其抗菌效果、抗氧化活性、生物相容性以及锌和硫离子的释放情况。力学分析表明拉伸强度在109至353 kPa之间，突出了该材料的多功能性以及对伤口敷料等应用的适用性。此外，在不同ZIF-8@TA浓度（5-15 wt%）的样品中，水凝胶的愈合效率在65.45%至85.27%之间。对水凝胶（0.5 g/mL）的抗菌研究表明，对大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌菌株的抑菌率为100%，同时在15天内观察到显著的抗氧化活性以及锌和硫离子的持续释放。这些发现使ZIF-8@TA改性的PVA水凝胶成为先进生物医学应用的有前途的候选材料，可应对感染管理、组织再生以及适应不同伤口环境等挑战。
