Self-healing hydrogels as injectable implants: Advances in translational wound healing

• Published in: Coordination chemistry reviews 2024-06, Vol.509, p.215790, Article 215790
• Main Authors: Khattak, Saadullah, Ullah, Ihsan, Xie, Hailin, Tao, Xu-Dong, Xu, Hong-Tao, Shen, Jianliang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bio-medical applications; Infected wound; Injectable; Self-healing hydrogel; Tissue engineering; Wound healing
• ISSN: 0010-8545; 1873-3840
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2024.215790

•Characterization, mechanisms, and synthesis summary of self-healing hydrogels are described.•Covalent and non-covalent interaction mechanisms to obtain self-healing hydrogels are discussed.•Properties and applications of self-healing hydrogels such as mechanical, biocompatibility, degradability, adhesive, anti-infection, antioxidant, and hemostatic, etc. are reviewed. Self-healing hydrogels' remarkable dependability and enduring stability have made them stand out as extremely promising soft materials for tissue engineering. The mechanism behind their self-healing capabilities relies on reversible physical or chemical interactions that result in cross-linking. Researchers are designing and developing self-healing hydrogels with captivating characteristics such as impressive biocompatibility, responsiveness, conductivity, and mechanical and antibacterial properties. These desirable characteristics are tailored to meet the specific requirements of practical applications. This comprehensive review focuses on the latest progress in making hydrogels with self-healing properties and employing them to help heal wounds. Synthesis strategies may occasionally employ a combination of reversible physical or chemical cross-linking processes. Furthermore, the diverse therapies of these hydrogels encompass adhesive properties, wound-healing capabilities, drug-delivery systems, and more. Lastly, this review addresses self-healing hydrogels and tackles and explores future development prospects. The potential for these materials to revolutionize the area of tissue engineering is discussed, emphasizing their capability to overcome obstacles and pave the way for enhanced medical treatments.