Bioadhesive Linear-Dendritic Block Copolymer Hydrogels for Wound Closure and Localized Antibiotic Delivery
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Surgical adhesives have emerged as a less invasive alternative than classical sutures, yet many suffer from poor adhesion, poor compatibility with skin, and lack of antibacterial properties. To address these limitations, we developed a new class of dual-functional hydrogels combining strong tissue adhesion with localized antimicrobial activity. These hydrogels were formulated by blending catechol-functionalized linear-dendritic block copolymers (LDBC(cat)8) with UV-crosslinkable acrylate-terminated analogues (LDBC(acr)4), resulting in soft and interpenetrated hybrid network that combines hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions with covalent crosslinking. Among the various hydrogel formulations tested, the one containing 15% of LDBC(acr)4 and 85 % of LDBC(cat)4 exhibited optimal mechanical performance and superior adhesion to porcine skin while biocompatibility assessments and swelling assays confirmed its suitability for biomedical use. Furthermore, the incorporation of water-soluble antibiotics, i.e. amoxicillin and moxifloxacin, enabled the hydrogel to act as a localized delivery system, with the antibiotic-loaded variant demonstrating potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vivo assays confirmed that these hydrogels could effectively close open wounds and that the presence of antibiotics did not alter such capability, positioning these biomimetic hydrogel platforms as promising candidates for next-generation surgical glues that not only seal tissue effectively but also combat infection.
Source: ChemRxiv
Language: English
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G103507813, G1105844351, G1175115578, G1270864721, G1610934229, G1971932983, G2019505627, G2059866026, G2262748287, G2334324494, G2601397997, G2799588417, G2826313093, G300979063, G3020948319, G3082032993, G3104897365, G3480869486, G3681454997, G3845300180, G3945525359, G4042783231, G410571670, G425668148, G4293424916, G4390875399, G4435398226, G451917667, G491712853, G5080475149, G5195188938, G5209569390, G5539308778, G5635532810, G5967599077, G5972442391, G6619481953, G6905628614, G7084143925, G717256432, G7434936867, Cristales Líquidos y polímeros, G766069702, G7805626310, G7863371703, G8028106313, G8033231456, G8235390948, G8497050386, G8876996369, G983705713
OpenAlex ID: W7208793032