Search results for "Gels"
showing 10 items of 671 documents
Cell adhesion on UV-crosslinked polyurethane gels with adjustable mechanical strength and thermoresponsiveness
2021
Temperature-responsive polyurethane (PU) hydrogels represent a versatile material platform for modern tissue engineering and biomedical applications. However, besides intrinsic advantages such as high mechanical strength and a hydrolysable backbone composition, plain PU materials are generally lacking bio-adhesive properties. To overcome this shortcoming, the authors focus on the synthesis of thermoresponsive PU hydrogels with variable mechanical and cell adhesive properties obtained from linear precursor PUs based on poly(ethylene glycol)s (pEG) with different molar masses, isophorone diisocyanate, and a dimerizable dimethylmaleimide (DMMI)-diol. The cloud point temperatures of the dilute,…
Salt partitioning in ionized, thermo-responsive hydrogels: perspective to water desalination
2021
Charged hydrogels are capable of swelling in aqueous salt solutions, whereby part of the salt ions is repelled due to the presence of fixed charged groups inside the hydrogel. This effect creates a concentration gradient between the absorbed solution and the surrounding fluid known as salt partitioning, offering a potential for these materials to be employed to desalinate saltwater. If the charged hydrogels are thermo-sensitive as well, then the purer, absorbed solution can be recovered by shrinking the hydrogels upon temperature change. To tailor that potential in water-purification and desalination applications, the main parameters influencing the salt partitioning, the deswelling of the …
Structure of e-beam sculptured poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) networks across different length-scales, from macro to nano
2013
Abstract Study of macromolecular structure and dynamics of networks formed by pulsed electron-beam irradiation of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) aqueous solutions, at relatively low energy per pulse and across different concentration regimes, provides the basis for the understanding of a new generation of functional nanostructures. Networks are the result of the follow–up reactions initiated by a continuous series of electron pulse-generated hydroxyl radicals, which may have a different fate at the variance of polymer concentration. Different spectroscopic techniques, FT-IR, 13 C { 1 H} CP-MAS NMR and Raman, applied to characterize the formed networks, describe a profound modification of t…
Numerical Simulation of the Kinetics of Radical Decay in Single-Pulse High-Energy Electron-Irradiated Polymer Aqueous Solutions
2019
A new method for the numerical simulation of the radiation chemistry of aqueous polymer solutions is introduced. The method makes use of a deterministic approach combining the conventional homogeneous radiation chemistry of water with the chemistry of polymer radicals and other macromolecular species. The method is applied on single-pulse irradiations of aqueous polymer solutions. The speciation of macromolecular species accounts for the variations in the number of alkyl radicals per chain, molecular weight, and number of internal loops (as a consequence of an intramolecular radical-radical combination). In the simulations, the initial polymer molecular weight, polymer concentration, and do…
On the origin of functionalization in one-pot radiation synthesis of nanogels from aqueous polymer solutions
2016
Radiation-engineered poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) nanogels are very interesting biocompatible nanocarriers for i.v. administration of therapeutics and contrast agents for bioimaging. The manufacturing process is fast and effective, it grants excellent control of particle size and simultaneous sterilization of the formed nanogels. Interestingly, primary amino groups and carboxyl groups, useful for (bio)conjugation, are also formed in a dose-dependent fashion. In this paper, by means of both numerical simulations and experiments, the origin of nanogel size control and functionalization is investigated. This understanding offers a new dimension for the design and production of radiation-sculpture…
Effect of chelatants on gellan gel rheological properties and setting temperature for immobilization of living bifidobacteria.
1993
The effect of various concentrations of sequestrants (sodium citrate, sodium metaphosphate, and EDTA) was studied on gellan gel (1.5-2.5% (w/v)) setting temperature and rheological properties. Addition of EDTA between 0 and 0.8% (w/v) led to a progressive decrease of setting temperature. Citrate and metaphosphate decreased this parameter when added up to 0.4 or 0.6%, depending on gellan gum concentration, eventually resulting in the absence of gel formation at room temperature for the 1.5% gellan solution containing 0.4% citrate. This effect was accompanied by a significant decrease of gel strength and stiffness and might be attributed to the binding of the divalent cations required for cha…
From Biocompatible to Biodegradable: Poly(Ethylene Glycol)s with Predetermined Breaking Points
2013
Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is the gold standard polymer for biomedical applications. PEG is known for its biocompatibility and antifouling properties and is widely used for bioconjugation. However, like other synthetic polymers in the field, PEG is not biodegradable, limiting its use for parenteral formulations and protein conjugation to a molecular weight range with a specific upper limit (commonly 40–60 kDa) to avoid polyether accumulation in human tissue. For these biomedical applications, but also for other purposes such as cleavable hydrogels and templates for porous membranes, several routes for the insertion of in-chain biocleavable moieties, such as acetals or disulfides, into PEG …
Electrical properties of γ-crosslinked hydrogels incorporating organic conducting polymers
2007
Abstract Hydrogel composites containing nanoparticles of the protonated emeraldine form of polyaniline (PANI-PE) have been synthesised by γ-irradiation, using either polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as steric stabilisers. Swelling behaviour of both hydrogels is reported, together with an electrical characterisation of composites, before and after gel network formation, performed by cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. Similarities and differences between the two composite systems are discussed.
Two-Component Hydrogels Formed by Cyclodextrins and Dicationic Imidazolium Salts
2013
In the framework of our recent interest in studying the gelling behaviour of imidazolium salts, we took into account the possibility of obtaining two-component hydrogels by combining cyclodextrins and dicationic imidazolium salts. In particular, we used diimidazolium salts differing in the alkyl chain length and in the size, shape, and coordination ability of the anion, namely the 3,3′-di-n-decyl- and 3,3′-di-n-dodecyl-1,1′-(1,4-phenylenedimethylene)diimidazolium dibromide, and 3,3′-di-n-dodecyl-1,1′-(1,4-phenylenedimethylene)diimidazolium ditetrafluoroborate and dihexafluorophosphate. As far as cyclodextrins are concerned, to gain information on the effects of different sized cyclic oligos…
Chemical gels of scleroglucan obtained by cross-linking with 1,w-dicarboxylic acids: Synthesis and characterization
2005
Chemical gels obtained by cross-linking reaction between scleroglucan and I, omega-dicarboxylic acids having a number of carbon atoms from 4 to 8 in the chain, have been prepared and characterised. The networks show properties correlated with the number of carbon atoms of the acid and with the molar ratio carboxylic acid/glucose unit of the polymer (r) employed in the cross-linking reaction. The diffusion of theophylline, chosen as model drug, through the swelled cross-linked polymers has been also investigated and it has enabled the diffusion coefficients of the drug to be calculated under different environmental conditions. The release profiles of theophylline from tablets prepared with t…