Metal-organic cages (MOCs), assembled by the coordination of metal nodes with organic ligands, offer excellent solvent dispersion, functionalization potential, and abundant binding sites, making them ideal for hybrid hydrogel synthesis. Herrin, a novel Zr-MOC/CS hybrid hydrogel was developed by crosslinking Zr-based metal-organic cages (Zr-MOC) and chitosan (CS) using dibenzaldehyde-functionalized polyethylene glycol (DF-PEG) as crosslinker, marking the first instance of incorporating Zr-MOC into a hydrogel matrix. The composite hydrogel leverages the catalytic activity of Zr-MOC to convert trace H2O2 into hydroxyl radicals (·OH), delivering enhanced antibacterial performance. Characterization via XRD, FT-IR, XPS, SEM and SEM-EDS confirmed the successful integration of Zr-MOC within the hydrogel matrix. Antibacterial assays demonstrated superior efficacy against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) compared to conventional hydrogels. Cytotoxicity tests (MTT and live-dead staining) confirmed excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, in vivo experiments using an infected wound model revealed that the Zr-MOC/CS hydrogel significantly accelerated wound healing. These results highlight the potential of Zr-MOC/CS hydrogel as a multifunctional wound dressing material for antibacterial therapy in clinical applications.
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