Single‐Doped W <sub>18</sub> O <sub>49‐x</sub> @Au‐Embedded Dual‐Network Silk Fibroin Hydrogel for NIR‐Responsive Phototherapeutic Wound Healing
Chaofan Yao, Yu Zhao, Youting Wu, Haoming Wang, Hongbin Li, Jinmei He, Lifen Liu, Yudong Huang, Feng Cheng
Abstract
Bacterial infections remain a critical challenge in wound care, demanding advanced multifunctional materials for effective treatment. Here, this work presents a 3D-printable hydrogel (STFWA) integrating a Schottky heterojunction and dual-network architecture for synergistic photothermal and photodynamic antibacterial therapy. The hydrogel incorporates W18O49-x@Au nanostructures, where Au nanoparticles are in situ grown on oxygen-deficient W18O49-x (bandgap ≈1.5 eV), forming a Schottky junction that enhances carrier separation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The dual-network matrix, composed of silk fibroin and tannic acid-Fe3+ (TA/Fe3+), exhibits robust mechanical integrity and hemostatic capability, while silk fibroin enables high-resolution digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. The co-existence of W18O49-x and Au induces dual localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), while TA/Fe3+ contributes to deep coloration, collectively boosting photothermal conversion. Upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the hydrogel exhibits potent antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli through combined photothermal and photodynamic mechanisms. In vivo studies using a rat model of infected wounds demonstrate accelerated healing, enhanced angiogenesis, and regulated inflammation. This work highlights a nanostructure-enabled hydrogel platform for NIR-activated, synergistic antibacterial therapy with clinical potential in infected wound management.