Efficient Photothermal, Flexible Wood-Based Hydrogel for Infected Wound Recovery

The efficient photothermal, flexiblewood-based hydrogelpromotes the recovery of infected wounds and is nontoxic, renewable,and biodegradable. Photothermaltherapy, because of its inherent high specificityand low invasiveness, can easily and quickly inhibit infected woundsand promote repair. Herein, flexible wood (LM) was synthesized andcombined with clarithromycin-carrying black phosphorus in a polyvinylalcohol matrix to create a highly effective photothermal and flexiblewood-based hydrogel (LM@PBKb), which exhibited photothermal and photodynamicbactericidal effects as well as long-lasting wound sterility for thetreatment of infected skin wounds. The LM@PBKb hydrogel exhibiteda photothermal conversion efficiency of 28.8%. When 808 nm laser irradiationand the long-lasting sustained release of the LM@PBKb hydrogel werecombined, Escherichia coli was almostcompletely inhibited. After 808 nm laser irradiation in the near-infraredregion, LM@PBKb used in mice with infected wounds rapidly inhibitedinfection, maintained a sterile environment for a long time, and acceleratedwound healing. Scanning electron microscopy images show that the woundstreated with LM@PBKb were relatively flat and resembled uninfectedwounds. This highly efficient photothermal flexible wood-based hydrogelis a high-potential environmentally friendly biomaterial.