A Bimetallic Ca2+/Cu2+ Cross-Linked Sphingan WL Gum Hydrogel With Injectable, Self-Healing, and Antibacterial Properties for Wound Healing

Metal ions are extensively employed in the design of polysaccharide-based dressings owing to their reversible non-covalent interactions and bioactivity. This study reports an injectable, self-healing, and antibacterial wound dressing using a bimetallic Ca 2 + /Cu 2 + cross-linking strategy in sphingan WL gum. The target hydrogel, designated WL-Ca-Cu, was fabricated using a facile soaking–adsorption method. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of ion-polymer coordination bonds. These bonds, along with electrostatic interactions, synergistically reinforce the inherent hydrogen-bonding network of WL to drive physical cross-linking. The resulting WL-Ca-Cu hydrogel demonstrated excellent water retention (> 80%), injectability, and self-healing capability. It exhibited sustained ion release (following first-order kinetics), potent antibacterial efficacy of Cu 2 + against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus , and good biocompatibility in hemolysis and L929 cytotoxicity assays. The promising performance in cell scratch assays further supports its pro-healing potential. Collectively, these findings underscore the significant therapeutic potential of WL-Ca-Cu as a multifunctional wound dressing material. Graphical A multifunctional hydrogel is fabricated via a facile soaking-adsorption method by cross-linking sphingan WL gum with Ca 2+ /Cu 2+ ions. The material integrates injectability, self-healing, sustained antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and pro-migration function, demonstrating its potential as a versatile wound dressing.