MXene-based polysaccharide aerogel with multifunctional enduring antimicrobial effects for infected wound healing

A novel multifunctional self-assembled nanocellulose based scaffold for the healing of diabetic wounds

The healing of chronic diabetic wounds remains a key challenge due to its susceptibility to bacterial infection, the inflammatory wound microenvironment, and difficulty in angiogenesis. Herein, we devised a smart scaffold of nanocellulose with silk fibroin-loaded cerium oxide nanoparticles for the treatment of diabetic wounds. The smart scaffold dressing displays excellent porosity, water absorption, air permeability, water retention, controlled degradability, and antioxidant properties. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the scaffold was capable of promoting the degradation of the scaffolds through uncross linking and exhibited antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria. Furthermore, in vivo experiments showed that smart scaffold dressing can reduces inflammation at the wound site of diabetic mice and promote collagen deposition, angiogenesis and re-epithelialization during wound healing in diabetic mice, exhibiting favorable biocompatibility and biodegradability. Its efficacy surpassed that of the current commercially available membrane dressings (3 M dressings) and medical PELNAC dressings (Class III medical device). These findings suggest that the smart scaffold dressing is a promising and innovative dressing for the treatment of diabetic wounds.

MXenes in the application of diabetic foot: mechanisms, therapeutic implications and future perspectives

Diabetic foot represents a significant healthcare challenge, accounting for a substantial portion of diabetes-related hospitalizations and amputations globally. The complexity of diabetic foot management stems from the interplay of poor glycemic control, neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disease, which hinder wound healing processes. The high incidence, recurrence, and amputation rates associated with diabetic foot underscore the urgency for innovative treatment strategies. Recent advancements in nanotechnology, particularly the emergence of MXenes (two-dimensional transition metal carbides and/or nitrides), have shown promising potential in addressing these challenges by offering unique physicochemical and biological properties suitable for various biomedical applications. It is a novel potential strategy for diabetic foot wound healing in the future. This review comprehensively summarizes current knowledge, unique characteristics, and underlying mechanisms of MXenes in the context of diabetic foot management. Additionally, we propose the potential application of MXenes-based therapeutic strategies in diabetes foot. Furthermore, we also provide an overview of their current challenges and the future perspectives in related fields of diabetic wound healing.

Engineered MXene Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine

MXene-based materials have attracted significant interest due to their distinct physical and chemical properties, which are relevant to fields such as energy storage, environmental science, and biomedicine. MXene has shown potential in the area of tissue regenerative medicine. However, research on its applications in tissue regeneration is still in its early stages, with a notable absence of comprehensive reviews. This review begins with a detailed description of the intrinsic properties of MXene, followed by a discussion of the various nanostructures that MXene can form, spanning from 0 to 3 dimensions. The focus then shifts to the applications of MXene-based biomaterials in tissue engineering, particularly in immunomodulation, wound healing, bone regeneration, and nerve regeneration. MXene's physicochemical properties, including conductivity, photothermal characteristics, and antibacterial properties, facilitate interactions with different cell types, influencing biological processes. These interactions highlight its potential in modulating cellular functions essential for tissue regeneration. Although the research on MXene in tissue regeneration is still developing, its versatile structural and physicochemical attributes suggest its potential role in advancing regenerative medicine.

MXene-Derived Multifunctional Biomaterials: New Opportunities for Wound Healing

The process of wound healing is frequently impeded by metabolic imbalances within the wound microenvironment. MXenes exhibit exceptional biocompatibility, biodegradability, photothermal conversion efficiency, conductivity, and adaptable surface functionalization, demonstrating marked potential in the development of multifunctional platforms for wound healing. Moreover, the integration of MXenes with other bioactive nanomaterials has been shown to enhance their therapeutic efficacy, paving the way for innovative approaches to wound healing. In this review, we provide a systematic exposition of the mechanisms through which MXenes facilitate wound healing and offer a comprehensive analysis of the current research landscape on MXene-based multifunctional bioactive composites in this field. By delving into the latest scientific discoveries, we identify the existing challenges and potential future trajectories for the advancement of MXenes. Our comprehensive evaluation aims to provide insightful guidance for the formulation of more effective wound healing strategies.

Photo-crosslinking injectable Photothermal antibacterial hydrogel based on quaternary ammonium grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for infected wound healing

Antibacterial hydrogels not only provide a better environment for skin wounds to avoid infection but also accelerate wound healing. Herein, chitosan modified by a quaternary ammonium salt (CQ), and hyaluronic acid grafted with methacrylate (HM) were designed and synthesized to prepare an injectable photo-crosslinking hydrogel for wound dressing with inherent antibacterial and photothermal properties. CQ and HM exhibited excellent biocompatibility, improved water retention, and antibacterial activity, illustrating vast potential as an antibacterial material in various applications. MXene, a type of 2D nanomaterial, has been widely researched due to its photothermal properties. The CQ and HM polymer precursor could be mixed with Mxene and then crosslinked with 395 nm UV radiation under mild conditions to form a 3D network structure CQ-HM/MXene hydrogel. This hydrogel displayed an appropriate swelling ratio, elastic modulus, photothermal property and excellent biocompatibility. The injectable property of the hydrogel allowed it to easily cover the wound. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that the injectable hydrogel had low cytotoxicity and excellent antibacterial properties, which could help promote wound healing. In summary, this novel CQ-HA/MXene hydrogel has the potential for application in skin wound healing due to inherent antibacterial activity and photothermal effect.

Recent advances in the medical applications of two-dimensional MXene nanosheets

MXene-based materials are gaining significant attention due to their exceptional properties and adaptability, leading to diverse advanced applications. In 3D printing, MXenes enhance the performance of photoblockers, photocurable inks, and composites, enabling the creation of precise, flexible and durable structures. MXene/siloxane composites offer both flexibility and resilience, while MXene/spidroin scaffolds provide excellent biocompatibility and mechanical strength, making them ideal for tissue engineering. Sustainable inks such as MXene/cellulose nano inks, alginate/MXene and MXene/emulsion underscore their role in high-performance printed materials. In cancer therapy, MXenes enable innovative photothermal and photodynamic therapies, where nanosheets generate heat and reactive oxygen species to destroy cancer cells. MXene theranostic nanoprobes combine imaging and treatment, while MXene/niobium composites support hyperthermia therapy and MXene/cellulose hydrogels allow controlled drug release. Additionally, MXene-based nanozymes enhance catalytic activity, and MXene/gold nanorods enable near-infrared-triggered drug release for noninvasive treatments. In antimicrobial applications, MXene composites enhance material durability and hygiene, providing anticorrosive protection for metals. For instance, MXene/graphene, MXene/polycaprolactone nanofibers and MXene/chitosan hydrogels exhibit significant antibacterial activity. Additionally, MXene sensors have been developed to detect antibiotic residues. MXene cryogels also promote tissue regeneration, while MXene nanohybrids facilitate photocatalytic antibacterial therapy. These advancements underscore the potential of MXenes in regenerative medicine and other fields.

Alginate-based hydrogels mediated biomedical applications: A review

With the development in the field of biomaterials, research on alternative biocompatible materials has been initiated, and alginate in polysaccharides has become one of the research hotspots due to its advantages of biocompatibility, biodegradability and low cost. In recent years, with the further understanding of microscopic molecular structure and properties of alginate, various physicochemical methods of cross-linking strategies, as well as organic and inorganic materials, have led to the development of different properties of alginate hydrogels for greatly expanded applications. In view of the potential application prospects of alginate-based hydrogels, this paper reviews the properties and preparation of alginate-based hydrogels and their major achievements in delivery carrier, dressings, tissue engineering and other applications are also summarized. In addition, the combination of alginate-based hydrogel and new technology such as 3D printing are also involved, which will contribute to further research and exploration.

Biopolymer-Based Biomimetic Aerogel for Biomedical Applications

Aerogels are lightweight and highly porous materials that have been found to have great potential in biomedical research because of some of their unique properties, such as their high surface area, tunable porosity, and biocompatibility. Researchers have been exploring ways to use aerogels to create biomimetic scaffolds inspired by natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) for various biomedical applications. Aerogel scaffolds can serve as three-dimensional (3D) templates for cell growth and tissue regeneration, promoting wound healing and tissue repair. Additionally, aerogel-based scaffolds have great potential in controlled drug delivery systems, where their high surface area and porosity enable the efficient loading and release of therapeutic agents. In this review, we discuss biopolymer-based biomimetic aerogel scaffolds for tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biosensors. Finally, we also discuss the potential directions in the development of aerogel-based biomimetic scaffolds.

Polyhedral Oligomeric Sesquioxane Cross-Linked Chitosan-Based Multi-Effective Aerogel Preparation and Its Water-Driven Recovery Mechanism

The use of environmentally friendly and non-toxic biomass-based interfacial solar water evaporators has been widely reported as a method for water purification in recent years. However, the poor stability of the water transport layer made from biomass materials and its susceptibility to deformation when exposed to harsh environments limit its practical application. To address this issue, water-driven recovery aerogel (PCS) was prepared by cross-linking epoxy-based polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (EP-POSS) epoxy groups with chitosan (CS) amino groups. The results demonstrate that PCS exhibits excellent water-driven recovery performance, regaining its original volume within a very short time (1.9 s) after strong compression (ε > 80%). Moreover, PCS has a water absorption rate of 2.67 mm s-1 and exhibits an excellent water absorption capacity of 22.09 g g-1 even after ten cycles of absorption-removal. Furthermore, a photothermal evaporator (PCH) was prepared by loading the top layer with hydrothermally reacted tannins (HAs) and Zn2+ complexes. The results indicate that PCH achieves an impressive evaporation rate of 1.89 kg m-2 h-1 under one sun illumination. Additionally, due to the antimicrobial properties of Zn2+, PCH shows inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, thereby extending the application of solar water evaporators to include antimicrobial purification in natural waters.