Designing Multifunctional Antibacterial Hydrogels: Converging Biological, Inorganic, and Structural Strategies

The rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria represents one of the most critical challenges in modern healthcare and has stimulated intense research into alternative antimicrobial strategies. Antibacterial hydrogels have emerged as versatile biomaterials due to their high water content, tunable physicochemical properties, and ability to function as multifunctional platforms for drug delivery and tissue regeneration. This review analyzes recent advances in antibacterial hydrogel systems through a conceptual framework based on three complementary pillars: biological antibacterial agents, inorganic functional components, and structural material engineering. Biological strategies, particularly bacteriophage-based approaches, provide highly specific antibacterial activity capable of targeting multidrug-resistant pathogens and disrupting bacterial biofilms. Inorganic components such as hydroxyapatite nanoparticles contribute additional functionalities including drug adsorption, modulation of the ionic microenvironment, and osteoconductive behavior relevant for bone-related infections. Structural design strategies based on electrospinning enable the fabrication of fibrous architectures that enhance mechanical stability, regulate therapeutic release, and mimic extracellular matrix organization. The integration of these three pillars within multifunctional hydrogel platforms offers promising opportunities for developing advanced antibacterial biomaterials capable of addressing infection control while supporting tissue regeneration.