Biodegradable hydrogels obtained by photocrosslinking of dextran and polyaspartamide derivatives

The functionalization of dextran with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) leads to the formation of a derivative that generates hydrogels for irradiation at 365nm. The effects of various polymer concentrations and irradiation times on the yield and the properties of the obtained hydrogels are reported. The networks have been characterized by FT-IR spectra, dimensional analysis and swelling measurements carried out at different pH values. In vitro studies suggest that all samples undergo a partial chemical hydrolysis, whereas the incubation with dextranases causes a total degradation whose rate depends on the degree of crosslinking. In addition, aqueous solutions of functionalized dextran have been …