Moisture-Absorbing and Antimicrobial Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network Hydrogels: An Advanced Medical and Healthcare Material

The moisture absorption and antibacterial properties of medical materials are crucial for their clinical efficacy. However, existing hydrogel materials primarily focus on enhancing single properties, leading to issues, such as poor mechanical strength and limited environmental adaptability. Therefore, the development of medical materials with the dual functions of moisture absorption and antibacterial activity is of significant importance. In this study, inspired by biomimetic multilevel porous design, a semi-interpenetrating hydrogel material (CNSL) was successfully developed by incorporating moisture-absorbing component (LiCl) and antibacterial nanoparticles (SDP-NPs) into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) matrix. The multilevel porous structure mimics the hierarchical pore characteristics of biological systems, optimizing the specific surface area and significantly improving the moisture absorption performance in the humidity range of 15-90% (0.613-5.127 g/g). The temperature-sensitive network enables intelligent water adsorption-desorption cycling. SDP-NPs provide long-lasting antibacterial effects through sustained release within the pores and physical barriers, demonstrating bactericidal rates of 99.77 and 99.83% against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), respectively, in vitro. The CNSL hydrogel effectively achieves humidity regulation and broad-spectrum antibacterial performance, offering a unique design for the development of multifunctional medical dressings and other healthcare products. This research holds significant value in enhancing the infection prevention and control efficacy as well as clinical safety of medical materials and devices.