Industrial Electrospinning Machine| Unilateral Surface-Crystal-Engineering lnduced Dual-BionicJanus Multifunctional Wound Dressing for Infected BurnWound Healing

Sichuan University’s Prof. Xu Jiazhuang, Prof. Li Ka, and Associate Researcher Hong Rui: Unilateral Surface-Crystal-Engineering Induced Dual-Bionic Janus Multifunctional Wound Dressing for Infected Burn Wound Healing

Infected burns have long been a major global health challenge, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical management of such wounds faces multiple difficulties, including excessive exudate, persistent inflammatory responses, and challenges in promoting effective tissue regeneration. Traditional wound dressings often fail to meet these demands, necessitating the development of innovative solutions that integrate multiple therapeutic functions.  In recent years, researchers have increasingly drawn inspiration from nature, exploring biomimetic designs to address complex medical problems. 

Against this backdrop, a team led by Prof. Xu Jiazhuang, Prof. Li Ka, and Associate Researcher Hong Rui from Sichuan University published their latest research, "Unilateral Surface-Crystal-Engineering Induced Dual-Bionic Janus Multifunctional Wound Dressing for Infected Burn Wound Healing," in *Advanced Functional Materials*, where it was selected as an "Editor’s Choice" paper.Inspired by the surface properties of lotus leaves and the microstructure of the natural extracellular matrix, the team proposed an innovative "surface-crystal-engineering" strategy to design a multifunctional wound dressing (MFWD) with asymmetric wettability and bionic topological structures. The MFWD demonstrates excellent performance in managing exudate, reducing infection and inflammation, and promoting collagen deposition, significantly accelerating the healing of infected burn wounds. This Janus multifunctional dressing is a promising option for treating infected burn wounds.  

Fig. 1: Schematic of the trilayer structure and application of the Janus multifunctional fiber-wound dressing (MFWD).  

The MFWD consists of three layers:  

Outer layer: A dense hydrophobic PCL fiber membrane serving as a barrier to prevent external liquid penetration.  

Middle layer: Medical non-woven fabric responsible for transporting and storing exudate.  

Inner layer: Hydrophilic bionic topological structures formed on drug-loaded PCL electrospun fibers via one-step epitaxial crystallization of PEG-PCL block copolymer.  

SEM imaging clearly reveals the gradient design of fiber thickness and pore structure across different layers, facilitating liquid transport. XRD, XPS, and FTIR were used to analyze the crystalline and chemical structures of the MFWD layers. 

Fig. 2: Preparation and physicochemical characterization of the MFWD.  

The hydrophilic design of the lower layer enables rapid absorption and diffusion of moisture. Surface free energy calculations confirmed that surface crystal engineering enhances the hydrophilicity of the lower layer, while the hydrophobic upper layer prevents external liquid penetration, avoiding contamination and unnecessary moisture accumulation. 

Fig. 3: Directional water transport and protective properties of the MFWD.  

Further investigation into the changes in functional group interactions induced by surface crystal engineering, through quantum chemical calculations, revealed that PEG provides a strong hydrophilic foundation on the lower surface. Finite element analysis was employed to study the MFWD’s unidirectional liquid management and barrier properties. Simulation results demonstrated that the MFWD’s design enables directional liquid flow—from the hydrophilic lower layer to the storage transport layer—preventing fluid accumulation at the wound site. This design mimics the self-cleaning properties of lotus leaves, achieving "directional" liquid management. 

Fig. 4: In vivo pro-healing effects of the MFWD on infected burn wounds.

The MFWD not only excels in exudate management, effectively absorbing and removing excess fluid to prevent periwound edema, but also significantly reduces inflammatory responses, preventing tissue damage caused by excessive inflammation. At the same time, the MFWD promotes cell proliferation and angiogenesis, providing a favorable regenerative environment that further accelerates wound healing. Experimental results showed that the MFWD group exhibited significantly higher wound healing rates than the control group, along with effective control of inflammation, laying a solid theoretical foundation for future clinical applications.  

Paper link: [https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202503517](https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202503517)