SmartMultiDress

This composite dressing consists of a hydrogel containing ZnO-based structures known for their antibacterial activity. These structures generate oxidising species under the effect of visible light, which is delivered by side-emitting polymer optical fibres (SE-POF) integrated into the textile backing that supports the hydrogel. The hydrogel plays a key role in absorbing and retaining large amounts of water or exudate, creating an optimal moist environment for healing. It also ensures homogeneous dispersion of the ZnO structures and, thanks to its transparency and refractive index close to that of optical fibres, promotes light transmission to these ZnO structures.

The textile backing acts both as a scaffold for the SE-POFs, allowing light to reach the hydrogel matrix efficiently, and as a mechanical reinforcement to ensure the stability of the dressing while maintaining its flexibility.