Thermo-Sensitive Hydrogel Interface Switching from Hydrophilic Lubrication to Infection Defense

An intervention-induced infection, such as a catheter-associated infection, is one of the most common nosocomial-acquired infections, which causes huge healthcare threats and costs to clinical treatment. This work developed a thermosensitive hydrogel coating on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which smartly switched from hydrophilic lubrication to antimicrobial and antifouling properties. Upon the optimization of the molar ratio of N-isopropylacrylamide versus N,N′-methylenebis(2-propenamide) (NNMBA), the thermosensitive hydrogel coating exhibited hydrophilic lubrication and 2.5-fold and 4.4-fold contact angle hysteresis than those of silicone and PDMS at room temperature, respectively, which provided significant protection to prevent tissue injury during the intervention in vivo. Once reaching body temperature, the hydrogel coating collapsed into a rough morphology with a hydrophobic inlayer and an exposed antibacterial peptide outlayer, which was endowed with an excellent antibacterial adhesion ability, red...