ZIF nano-dagger coated gauze for antibiotic-free wound dressing.

Nano-dagger coated gauze was bactericidal against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with log reduction >7 for Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Compared with the commercially available Ag gauze, the ZIF-L nano-dagger coated gauze was more biocompatible with a lower haemolytic activity, less cytotoxicity and improved wound healing performance. Animal studies showed that the ZIF-L coated gauze can effectively kill bacteria in a S. aureus wound infection model in mice. This novel nano-dagger coated gauze offers an effective and safe alternative for patients to protect against wound infections. This study demonstrates the first application of a MOF coating as an antibiotic-free wound dressing with potent antimicrobial activity and improved biocompatibility.