Smart antimicrobial wound dressings based on mechanically and biologically tuneable hybrid films

Chronic wounds remain a major clinical burden, often complicated by infections sustained within antibiotic-resistant biofilms. Smart wound dressings that combine structural support with controlled antimicrobial release are emerging as a powerful strategy to address these challenges. Among the biomaterial platforms, gelatin offers excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and chemical versatility, but its poor mechanical strength limits its standalone use. In this work, we present crosslinked gelatin-PEO (GG:PEO) hybrid films, stabilized with glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS), as a versatile platform for responsive wound management. By tuning the gelatin/PEO ratio, the films achieved up to a 57% increase in flexibility compared to pristine gelatin while retaining structural integrity. Antimicrobial functionality was conferred through incorporation of a novel multifunctional metal complex (MMC) comprising EDTA-chelated silver and copper ions. Crucially, the GG:PEO composition enabled modulation of drug release kinetics, providing a means to fine-tune bacterial inhibition. Optimized films suppressed bacterial growth and metabolism, with disc diffusion assays showing up to a 68% increase in inhibition zones at higher PEO ratios. Together, these findings demonstrate a robust and adaptable biomaterial system where both mechanical and antimicrobial properties can be engineered on demand. Such tunable composite films hold promise not only for advanced wound dressings but also for wider biomedical applications, including implant coatings and infection-responsive therapeutic devices.