Applications of MXene and its modified materials in skin wound repair

Advancements in employing two-dimensional nanomaterials for enhancing skin wound healing: a review of current practice

The two-dimensional nanomaterials are characterized by their ultra-thin structure, diverse chemical functional groups, and remarkable anisotropic properties. Since its discovery in 2004, graphene has attracted significant scientific interest due to its potential applications in various fields, including electronics, energy systems, and biomedicine. In medicine, graphene is used for designing smart drug delivery systems, especially for antibiotics, and biosensing. Skin trauma is a prevalent dermatological condition that increasingly contributes to morbidities and mortalities, thus representing a significant health burden. During tissue damage, rapid skin repair is crucial to prevent blood loss and infection. Therefore, drugs used for skin trauma must possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials possess remarkable physical, chemical, optical, and biological characteristics due to their uniform shape, increased surface area, and surface charge. Graphene and its derivatives, transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), black phosphorous (BP), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), MXene, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are among the commonly used 2D nanomaterials. Moreover, they exhibit antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This review presents a comprehensive discussion of the clinical approaches employed for wound healing treatment and explores the applications of commonly used 2D nanomaterials to enhance wound healing outcomes.

MXene-based composites in smart wound healing and dressings

MXenes, a class of two-dimensional materials, exhibit considerable potential in wound healing and dressing applications due to their distinctive attributes, including biocompatibility, expansive specific surface area, hydrophilicity, excellent electrical conductivity, unique mechanical properties, facile surface functionalization, and tunable band gaps. These materials serve as a foundation for the development of advanced wound healing materials, offering multifunctional nanoplatforms with theranostic capabilities. Key advantages of MXene-based materials in wound healing and dressings encompass potent antibacterial properties, hemostatic potential, pro-proliferative attributes, photothermal effects, and facilitation of cell growth. So far, different types of MXene-based materials have been introduced with improved features for wound healing and dressing applications. This review covers the recent advancements in MXene-based wound healing and dressings, with a focus on their contributions to tissue regeneration, infection control, anti-inflammation, photothermal effects, and targeted therapeutic delivery. We also discussed the constraints and prospects for the future application of these nanocomposites in the context of wound healing/dressings.

Research Progress on Ti3C2Tx-Based Composite Materials in Antibacterial Field

The integration of two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx nanosheets and other materials offers broader application options in the antibacterial field. Ti3C2Tx-based composites demonstrate synergistic physical, chemical, and photodynamic antibacterial activity. In this review, we aim to explore the potential of Ti3C2Tx-based composites in the fabrication of an antibiotic-free antibacterial agent with a focus on their systematic classification, manufacturing technology, and application potential. We investigate various components of Ti3C2Tx-based composites, such as metals, metal oxides, metal sulfides, organic frameworks, photosensitizers, etc. We also summarize the fabrication techniques used for preparing Ti3C2Tx-based composites, including solution mixing, chemical synthesis, layer-by-layer self-assembly, electrostatic assembly, and three-dimensional (3D) printing. The most recent developments in antibacterial application are also thoroughly discussed, with special attention to the medical, water treatment, food preservation, flexible textile, and industrial sectors. Ultimately, the future directions and opportunities are delineated, underscoring the focus of further research, such as elucidating microscopic mechanisms, achieving a balance between biocompatibility and antibacterial efficiency, and investigating effective, eco-friendly synthesis techniques combined with intelligent technology. A survey of the literature provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art developments in Ti3C2Tx-based composites and their potential applications in various fields. This comprehensive review covers the variety, preparation methods, and applications of Ti3C2Tx-based composites, drawing upon a total of 171 English-language references. Notably, 155 of these references are from the past five years, indicating significant recent progress and interest in this research area.

Fabrication of a MXene-based shape-memory hydrogel and its application in the wound repair of skin

Wound dressings can generally complete hemostasis and provide temporary protection after skin damage. Herein, a MXene-based hydrogel was prepared from MXene, gelatin, poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate (PEGDA) and N,N'-methylenebis(acrylamide) (HEAA) to prepare wound-dressing hydrogels for skin repair. HEAA and PEGDA crosslink polymerization formed the first layer of the network. Hydrogen bonds between MXene, PHEAA, and gelatin formed the second layer of the network. To make the hydrogel more suitable for skin repair, the mechanical properties of the hybrid hydrogel were adjusted. The MXene-based hydrogel could recover its original shape in 16 s upon immersion in water or for a few minutes under light irradiation. The obtained hydrogel showed good photothermal properties upon light irradiation (808 nm, 1 W cm-2) for 20 s, and its temperature on the surface could reach 86.4 °C. Due to its good photothermal properties, this MXene-based hydrogel was suitable for skin repair.

Green, pH-Sensitive, Highly Stretchable, and Hydrogen Bond-Dominated Ionogel for Wound Healing Activity

Traditional hydrogel dressings generally have poor mechanical properties and stability when subjected to external stress due to the undesirable chain entanglement structure of their single valence bond compositions. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop a type of gel dressing with good mechanical strength, stability, and environment-friendly monitoring. In this work, a transparent, pH-sensitive, highly stretchable, and biocompatible anthocyanidin ionogel dressing was prepared, realizing green and accurate detection. Attributed to the antibacterial activity of the ionic liquid, the biocompatibility of the pectin, and the ability to scavenge free radicals of the anthocyanidin, the ionogel dressing exhibited excellent re-epithelialization in the 14 day wound healing process. Besides, changes in pH values monitoring of the ionogel over 3 days coincided with normal wound exudate. The obtained ionogel also showed good water retention, swelling properties, mechanical stretchability, and 5 week stability, illustrating great potential in wound dressings.

MXene-Embedded Electrospun Polymeric Nanofibers for Biomedical Applications: Recent Advances

Recently MXenes has gained immense attention as a new and exciting class of two-dimensional material. Due to their unique layered microstructure, the presence of various functional groups at the surface, earth abundance, and attractive electrical, optical, and thermal properties, MXenes are considered promising candidates for various applications such as energy, environmental, and biomedical. The ease of dispersibility and metallic conductivity of MXene render them promising candidates for use as fillers in polymer nanocomposites. MXene-polymer nanocomposites simultaneously benefit from the attractive properties of MXenes and the flexibility and facile processability of polymers. However, the potentiality of MXene to modify the electrospun nanofibers has been less studied. Understanding the interactions between polymeric nanofibers and MXenes is important to widen their role in biomedical applications. This review explores diverse methods of MXene synthesis, discusses our current knowledge of the various biological characteristics of MXene, and the synthesis of MXene incorporated polymeric nanofibers and their utilization in biomedical applications. The information discussed in this review serves to guide the future development and application of MXene-polymer nanofibers in biomedical fields.