Dopamine/zinc oxide doped poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide)/agar dual network hydrogel with super self-healing, antibacterial and tissue adhesion functions designed for transdermal patch

J Mater Chem B. 2021 Jul 14;9(27):5492-5502. doi: 10.1039/d1tb00822f.

Abstract

Dual network (DN) hydrogels with excellent mechanical strength and controllable component adjustment characteristics have a broad application range in the field of biomedicine. However, the tissue adhesion, skin affinity, self-healing, and antibacterial properties of DN hydrogels are inadequate for their application as skin patches. In this work, we prepared dopamine/zinc oxide (DOPA/ZnO) doped poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide) (p(HEAA))/agar DN hydrogels and combined them to obtain a bilayer hydrogel (two-layer gel) with moisturizing properties. Upon incorporating 0.86 wt% of dopamine (DOPA), the resultant DOPA/p(HEAA))/agar DN hydrogel (DOPA@DNG) exhibited high tensile strain (up to 1600%), excellent self-repair ability, and tissue adhesion. ZnO/p(HEAA))/agar DN hydrogel (ZnO NG) obtained by incorporating 2 w/v ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) achieved high tensile strength (1.2 MPa), good antibacterial ability, and low charge transfer resistance. Moreover, ZnO NG, which has a tight structure, was employed as a protective layer for the two-layer gel, which can effectively slow down the excessive evaporation of water to protect the DOPA@DNG stability as a skin patch. Evidence showed that the two-layer hydrogel has water retention. Water retention still remains at over 50% after keeping the hydrogel in air for 3 days. These properties mean the two-layer gel based on the DOPA/ZnO doped DN hydrogels could be used as a transdermal patch for numerous applications in drug delivery, wearable devices, and electronic skin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acrylic Resins / chemistry
  • Acrylic Resins / pharmacology
  • Agar / chemistry
  • Agar / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacillus subtilis / drug effects
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemical synthesis
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology*
  • Dopamine / chemistry
  • Dopamine / pharmacology
  • Drug Design
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Hydrogels / chemical synthesis
  • Hydrogels / chemistry
  • Hydrogels / pharmacology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Tissue Adhesions / drug therapy*
  • Transdermal Patch*
  • Wound Healing / drug effects*
  • Zinc Oxide / chemistry
  • Zinc Oxide / pharmacology

Substances

  • Acrylic Resins
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Hydrogels
  • poly-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)acrylamide
  • Agar
  • Zinc Oxide
  • Dopamine