Hydrogels are versatile biomaterials conquering an increasing number of biomedical areas. Consisting of water-swollen molecular networks that can be tailored to mimic the mechanical and chemical features of various organs and tissues, they can interface within the body and on its outer surfaces without causing any damage to even the most delicate parts of the human anatomy.

To demonstrate the breadth of potential of their new method, the researchers focused on very different medical challenges. They showed that Tough Adhesives modified with chitosan films could now be easily wrapped around cylindrical shapes like an injured finger as self-adhering bandages to provide improved wound care. Due to the high water content of chitosan-bonded hydrogels, their application also allowed the local cooling of underlying human skin, which in the future could lead to alternative burn treatments.

The researchers also wrapped hydrogels (tough gels) whose surfaces were modified with thin chitosan films seamlessly around bowel, tendon, and peripheral nerve tissue without bonding to the tissues themselves.

This approach offers the possibility to effectively insulate tissues from each other during surgeries, which otherwise can form ‘fibrotic adhesions’ with sometimes devastating consequences. Their prevention is an unmet clinical need that commercial technologies cannot adequately address yet