Zinc Oxide Nanorod‐Based Piezoelectric Dermal Patch for Wound Healing

TLDR

Current wound‑healing treatments are largely passive and rarely stimulate skin cell behaviors, whereas electric fields are known to modulate such behaviors. The study develops a piezoelectric dermal patch that, when applied to a wound, generates an electric field to promote healing. The patch consists of one‑directionally aligned zinc‑oxide nanorods that produce piezoelectric potential from mechanical deformation caused by animal motion, thereby inducing an electric field at the wound bed. In vitro and in vivo experiments show that the patch accelerates wound healing by enhancing cellular metabolism, migration, and protein synthesis, suggesting it could become a clinically relevant active‑healing therapy.

Abstract

Current treatments for wound healing engage in passive healing processes and rarely participate in stimulating skin cell behaviors for active wound healing. Electric potential difference‐derived electrical fields (EFs) are known to modulate skin cell behaviors. Here, a piezoelectric dermal patch is developed that can be applied on skin wound site and EF is generated to promote wound healing. The one‐directionally aligned zinc oxide nanorod‐based piezoelectric patch generates piezoelectric potential upon mechanical deformations induced by animal motion, and induces EF at the wound bed. In vitro and in vivo data demonstrate that the piezoelectric patch promotes the wound healing process through enhanced cellular metabolism, migration, and protein synthesis. This modality may lead to a clinically relevant piezoelectric dermal patch therapy for active wound healing.