Enhancing the performance of injectable self-activating PVA-alginate hydrogel by Ag@MXene nanozyme as NIR responsive and photoenhanced antibacterial platform for wound healing

Design of tough and functional hydrogel based on carbohydrate polymers is always attracting. Injectable hydrogel based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate (Alg) have great potential for wound repair. However, simple hydrogel lacks functionality, such as antibacterial, which limits its application. Herein, we proposed a strategy of using Ag@MXene nanozyme to functionalize hydrogel and construct a near-infrared laser (NIR) responsive, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating, and antibacterial platform for wound repair. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and Ag cluster modified Ti 3 C 2 (E-Ag@Ti 3 C 2 ) was prepared to enhance the performance of injectable PVA-alginate hydrogel (E-Ag@Ti 3 C 2 @H). The functionalized hydrogel presents porous structures (67 % porosity percentage) and excellent compressive and tensile properties (elongation up to 157 %). Under NIR laser irradiation, E-Ag@Ti 3 C 2 @H showed photothermal conversion efficiency and ROS generation ability. The inhibition rate for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) can reach to 91.2 % and 90.3 %, respectively. Molecular biology experiments showed that the composite hydrogel could promote angiogenesis and wound healing by upregulating the expression of anti-inflammatory factors. The obtained injectable E-Ag@Ti 3 C 2 @H hydrogel is potential in accelerating diabetic wound healing.