Antibacterial Polymer Hydrogel Based on Cold Plasma-Activated Water for Infected Wound Regeneration

doi:10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.250174

Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry ›› 2025, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (11): 1461-1471.DOI: 10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.250174

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Antibacterial Polymer Hydrogel Based on Cold Plasma-Activated Water for Infected Wound Regeneration

Qing-Hua SHANG¹, Meng-Yuan ZHANG¹(), Hao-Tian ZHENG², Zheng ZHAO², Jiang-Tao LI², Yi-Long CHENG¹()

^1.School of Chemistry，Xi'an Jiaotong University，Xi'an 710049，China
^2.School of Electrical Engineering，Xi'an Jiaotong University，Xi'an 710049，China

Received:2025-04-23 Accepted:2025-08-22 Published:2025-11-01 Online:2025-12-05
Contact: Meng-Yuan ZHANG,Yi-Long CHENG
About author:yilongcheng@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
mengyuanzhang@xjtu.edu.cn
Supported by:
the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52322309)

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Abstract

Abstract:

The development of advanced wound dressings with high-efficacy antibacterial and tissue regeneration properties is of great significance for the healing of bacterial-infected wounds. Herein， we report a plasma-activated hydrogel （PAH） fabricated by substituting deionized water with plasma-activated water （PAW） during free-radical copolymerization of acrylamide （AM） and N-acryloyl phenylalanine （APhe）. The reactive oxygen/nitrogen species （RONS） derived by PAW endowed the hydrogel with excellent antibacterial properties， while the unique three-dimensional network structure and abundant functional groups of the hydrogel provided an ideal matrix for the stable loading of RONS. The PAH exhibited favorable mechanical properties similar to those of skin tissue （Young's modulus of 15.2 kPa， breaking strength of 198 kPa， elongation at break of 1550%）， appropriate tissue adhesion （adhesive strength of 6.96 kPa）， and excellent biocompatibility and it exhibited high efficiency of proliferation inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus （S.aureus） and Escherichia coli （E.coli）， which could meet the critical requirements of infectious wound dressings. In an in-vivo animal model， the PAH showed significant therapeutic effects on S.aureus-infected skin wounds. This work provides a novel strategy for advanced antibacterial dressings， offering a potentially more effective clinical solution for treating wound infection.

Key words: Hydrogel, Cold plasma activated water, Wound dressing, Antibacterial

CLC Number:

O631.5

Qing-Hua SHANG, Meng-Yuan ZHANG, Hao-Tian ZHENG, Zheng ZHAO, Jiang-Tao LI, Yi-Long CHENG. Antibacterial Polymer Hydrogel Based on Cold Plasma-Activated Water for Infected Wound Regeneration[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2025, 42(11): 1461-1471.

Figures/Tables 6

Fig.1 Schematic diagram of the preparation of PAH and the application in promoting the healing of infected skin wounds

Fig.2 Preparation and physicochemical properties analysis of PAW. （A） Illustration of the mechanism for PAW generation；（B） Waveforms of discharge current and voltage；（C） Emission spectra of the cold plasma jet discharge； Variation of pH （D）， ORP （E） and conductivity （F） of PAW with plasma-activated durations； Variation of H2O2 （G）， NO2- （H） and ·OH （I） concentrations in PAW with plasma-activated durations

Fig.3 In vitro antibacterial properties of PAH. Photographs of surviving bacteria on agar plates （A） and relative bacterial survival rates of S.aureus and E.coli （B） after co-culturing with PAH-20； Photographs of surviving bacteria on agar plates（C） and relative bacterial survival rates of S.aureus （D） and E.coli （E）after co-culturing with PAH-20 and PAW-20 for 1， 3， 5， 7 and 10 days

Fig.4 Mechanical properties and adhesive properties of PAH-20. Tensile （A） and compressive （B） stress-strain curves and mechanical properties comparison radar chart （C） of PAH-20 and DWH； SEM images of PAH-20 （D） and DWH （E）and pore diameter statistics （F）；（G） Photos of PAH-20 adhered to different substrate surfaces and （H） adhesion strengths of PAH-20 with different substrates

Fig.5 Evaluation of healing capability of PAH-20 in promoting infected wounds. （A） Schematic diagram of infected wound model and treatment；（B） Macroscopic photos of infected wound closure and bacterial colonies in subcutaneous tissue in different treatment groups；（C） Wound closure in different groups；（D） Quantitative bacterial survival rate of S.aureus extracted from different treatment groups

Fig.6 Histological analysis of PAH-20 promoting wound healing in skin infection. Immunofluorescence staining （A） and semi-quantitative analysis （B） of TNF-α in wound tissue after 7 and 14 days of treatment； Immunofluorescence staining （C） and semi-quantitative analysis （D） of CD31 in wound tissue after 7 and 14 days of treatment；（E） H&E and Masson staining of wound tissue after 14 days of treatment；（F） Semi-quantitative analysis of collagen deposition in wound tissue after 14 days of treatment

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Antibacterial Polymer Hydrogel Based on Cold Plasma-Activated Water for Infected Wound Regeneration

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