A piezoelectric hydrogel containing bismuth sulfide with cationic vacancies with enhanced sonodynamic/nanozyme activity for synergistically killing bacteria and boosting osteoblast differentiation.

A piezoelectric nanozyme is a novel biomaterial with the integration of piezoelectricity and nanozyme activity that has the capability of killing bacteria and promoting cell responses under a mechanical stimulus and exhibits great prospects in tissue regeneration. Herein, a piezoelectric nanozyme of bismuth sulfide (BS) with cationic vacancies (VBS) was synthesized, which exhibits enhanced piezoelectricity and nanozyme activities compared with BS. Moreover, a piezoelectric hydrogel of VBS and phenylboronic acid grafted sodium alginate-arginine (VBS-PSA) was prepared. Triggered by ultrasound (US) with high power (>0.5 W cm-2), VBS-PSA produces a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through both piezoelectricity-enhanced sonodynamic efficiency and peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity, thereby displaying the powerful antibacterial capability. However, under low-power US (≤0.5 W cm-2), the piezoelectric effect of VBS-PSA generates electrical signals that significantly stimulate the osteoblast responses (proliferation and osteoblast differentiation) and enhance catalase-like (CAT-like) activity for scavengers of ROS and generation of oxygen, thereby creating a favorable microenvironment for cell growth. Our study presents a novel strategy to apply the piezoelectric effect of hydrogels for enhancing sonodynamic efficiency and nanozyme activities that synergistically kill bacteria and stimulate osteoblast responses. The piezoelectric hydrogel would have great potential for the repair of infected bone defects.