Electroactive anti-oxidant polyurethane elastomers with shape memory property as non-adherent wound dressing to enhance wound healing

Development of wound dressings that not only have multiple advantages including good barrier properties, elasticity and shape memory properties, but also show anti-infection, anti-oxidative and promote cell adhesion, proliferation to enhance wound healing process, remains an ongoing challenge in the skin tissue engineering. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of electroactive shape memory polyurethane-urea elastomers by combining the mechanical properties of polycaprolactone (PCL) segments, wettability of polyethylene glycol (PEG) segments and electroactivity of aniline trimer (AT) segments, as antibacterial, anti-oxidant and electroactive film dressing for cutaneous wound healing. The films displayed suitable hydrophilicity and swelling ratio, excellent mechanical and shape memory properties, electroactivity, free radical scavenging capacity, non-adherent property and biocompatibility. Excitingly, the electroactive film with an optimal concentration of 12 wt% AT promoted mouse fibroblasts (L929) adhesion and proliferation, and it also significantly accelerated in vivo wound healing process than no-electroactive film and commercial dressing (Tegaderm™ film) through promoting granulation tissue thickness and collagen deposition in a full-thickness skin defect model. Moreover, after loading with vancomycin as antibacterial agents, the rate of wound healing is further enhanced. In summary, the electroactive shape memory polyurethane-urea films significantly promoted in vivo wound healing process attributed to its multifunctional properties indicated that they are excellent candidates as film wound dressing.