Cu²⁺-Peptide Hydrogel Scaffold

Antibacterial & Osteogenic

Unlike conventional bone repair materials, this scaffold uses Cu²⁺-coordinated peptide self-assembly to form a stable hydrogel coating, simultaneously achieving antibacterial, ROS-scavenging, and osteogenic differentiation without exogenous growth factors, offering an integrated solution for infectious bone defects.

Wang, Lei · Wu, Jiaqi · Minxiao, Zhu · Qiaoyu, Zhang · Chenyu, Wang · Yi, Jiang · Yao, Qingqiang · Yilun, Wu · Zhu, Y. S.

Advanced healthcare materials 2026

Advantages

>99% antibacterial activity against MRSA and P. aeruginosa

Sustained Cu²⁺ release under infection-associated mildly acidic conditions

Significantly increased bone mineral density and bone volume fraction