As the body's outermost layer, the skin acts as the first line of defense against external threats. Consequently, the healing of skin wounds remains one of the major medical challenges today. Among these, diabetic wounds—classified as the most preva‎lent type of chronic wounds—disrupt the natural healing process due to impaired insulin secretion or function. Smart dressings, a class of therapeutic coverings, promote wound healing and enable real-time monitoring of wound conditions by patients or healthcare providers. One of the key biomarkers in wound healing is glucose concentration, fluctuations of which can provide valuable insights into wound status. This study aims to develop a dual-functional smart wound dressing capable of simultaneously accelerating healing and monitoring wound surface conditions over time. The first layer comprises a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor for glucose detection, while the second layer is a hydrogel-based matrix designed to support the healing of diabetic wounds. A graphene substrate was synthesized for sensor fabrication using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Subsequently, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based on polydopamine was formed via the electrochemical polymerization of dopamine hydrochloride in the presence of glucose, followed by glucose removal using sulfuric acid. The structural and functional characteristics of the fabricated electrode were assessed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and microscopic analyses. The sensor demonstrated a wide linear detection range for glucose, from 10 nM to 2 µM, with a detection limit of 2 nM. It also exhibited high selectivity toward glucose in the presence of potential interfering agents such as bovine serum albumin, fructose, sucrose, and galactose. Furthermore, the sensor detected glucose in the physiological range of 1 to 6 mM in phosphate buffer and real serum samples with high recovery rates. In the second part of the study, a hydrogel matrix based on gelatin, agarose, and gum arabic was developed, with varying agarose concentrations (0 to 4 wt%) eva‎luated. The effects of agarose content on morphology, mechanical properties, degradability, swelling behavior, cellular biocompatibility, and antioxidant activity were systematically investigated. The formulation containing 3 wt% agarose was identified as optimal, showing an average pore size of 25.9 ± 7.8 μm, elastic modulus of 0.18 ± 0.01 MPa, elongation at break of 109.5 ± 13%, and tensile strength of 0.17 ± 0.01 MPa. After 14 days in phosphate buffer, it showed only 6% degradation and a high-water absorption capacity of 281.3 ± 3.2%. This sample also exhibited the highest cell viability (108.4 ± 5.5% after 5 days) and strongest antioxidant activity (95.2 ± 1.5% within 48 hours). Swelling behavior under varying pH and temperature conditions revealed the hydrogel's high sensitivity and potential for controlled drug release at the wound site. At the critical temperature of 37 °C, the hydrogel demonstrated its highest drug release (42.6 ± 3.7%), highlighting its potential for enhancing and accelerating diabetic wound healing. The results of this study indicate that both components—the non-enzymatic glucose sensor and the biocompatible hydrogel matrix—exhibited favorable performance and properties suitable for smart wound dressing applications. These findings lay the groundwork for future development of integrated systems for simultaneous wound monitoring and treatment

مهشيد خرازيهاي اصفهاني , حميدرضا سليمي جزي

فتح اله كريم زاده , كيوان رئيسي

مجيد مقدم , فاطمه داور , مهران نحوي