A Janus hydrogel with thermostatic photothermal regulation and temperature-responsive drug release for infected wound management

In this study, we developed a Janus-structured hydrogel that integrates a thermostatic photothermal system with a temperature-responsive drug delivery system. The photothermal hydrogel contains phase-change-regulated core–shell microspheres, enabling specific thermostatic photothermal temperature (TPT)-triggered drug release for synergistic antibacterial treatment. The adhesive layer, composed of lipoic acid/sodium lipoate acid, methacrylated gelatin, N-isopropylacrylamide, and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, provided temperature-responsive shrinkage, controllable drug release, and reduced adhesion at elevated temperature. Owing to chemical integration at the bilayer interface, the hydrogel showed good mechanical stability. Under near-infrared (NIR) laser, it demonstrated over 99% bactericidal efficiency against E. coli and S. aureus, with a biofilm clearance rate exceeding 90%. Moreover, the hydrogel significantly promoted wound healing in a rat model with S. aureus-infected wounds, achieving a healing rate of 98.33% after 14 days healing, compared to 73.82% in the control group. This study presents a promising strategy for designing wound dressings for infected wounds, combining photothermal therapy, drug delivery, and adhesion control.