Search results for "hydrogel"

Mesoscopic and Microscopic Investigation on Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogels in the Presence of Sodium Decylsulfate

2007

The structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels formed as a result of freeze/thaw treatments of aqueous solutions of the polymer (11 wt % PVA) in the freshly prepared state is analyzed through the combined use of small (SANS) and ultrasmall (USANS) angle neutron scattering techniques. The structure of these hydrogels may be described in terms of polymer rich regions, with dimensions of the order of 1-2 microm, dispersed in a water rich phase, forming two bicontinuous phases. The PVA chains in the polymer rich phase form a network where the cross-linking points are mainly crystalline aggregates of PVA having average dimensions of approximately 45 A. The structural organization of freeze…

E-beam crosslinked, biocompatible functional hydrogels incorporating polyaniline nanoparticles

2012

Abstract PANI aqueous nanocolloids in their acid-doped, inherently conductive form were synthesised by means of suitable water soluble polymers used as stabilisers. In particular, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or chitosan (CT) was used to stabilise PANI nanoparticles, thus preventing PANI precipitation during synthesis and upon storage. Subsequently, e-beam irradiation of the PANI dispersions has been performed with a 12 MeV Linac accelerator. PVA-PANI nanocolloid has been transformed into a PVA-PANI hydrogel nanocomposite by radiation induced crosslinking of PVA. CT-PANI nanoparticles dispersion, in turn, was added to PVA to obtain wall-to-wall gels, as chitosan mainly undergoes chain scission…

Near-infrared light-responsive and antibacterial injectable hydrogels with antioxidant activity based on a Dopamine-functionalized Gellan Gum for wou…

2022

The development of wound dressings with combined antioxidant, antibacterial and tissue adhesion functions has been a difficult medical task for the treatment of wound infections. We synthetized a dopamine and PEG functionalized Gellan Gum (GG) to produce an injectable hydrogel with radical scavenging activity having both specific and aspecific antibiotic/antimicrobial properties. Using starting GG with different molecular weights, we obtained two derivatives that have been used to prepare the gel precursor dispersion, that undergoes gelation in the presence of colistin and dried microparticles (MPs) functionalized on the surface with polydopamine (pDA). Both were used to dope the hydrogel, …

Protein materials as sustainable non- and minimally invasive strategies for biomedical applications

2022

Protein-based materials have found applications in a wide range of biomedical fields because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability and great versatility. Materials of different physical forms including particles, hydrogels, films, fibers and microneedles have been fabricated e.g. as carriers for drug delivery, factors to promote wound healing and as structural support for the generation of new tissue. This review aims at providing an overview of the current scientific knowledge on protein-based materials, and selected preclinical and clinical studies will be reviewed in depth as examples of the latest progress within the field of protein-based materials, specifically focusing on non- …

Xyloglucan-based hydrogels: A biomaterials chemistry contribution towards advanced wound healing

The last two decades have witnessed the introduction of several new wound dressings, with many of them being hydrogels for the advantages that these materials can offer in the application. However, despite the advancements and the wide range of dressings available, wound management is still an extremely challenging task due to its subjectivity, complexity and scarce knowledge of the wound healing process itself, and patient variability. For this reason, an interdisciplinary approach to wound care that can help reducing the incidence and prevalence of wounds is needed. One important goal would be to develop “smart” wound dressings that are easy to apply, wear and be removed, that are able to…

Photocrosslinking of dextran and polyaspartamide derivatives: a combination suitable for colon-specific drug delivery.

2007

Abstract The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize novel hydrogels with polysaccharide–polyaminoacid structure, able to undergo an enzymatic hydrolysis in the colon and potentially useful for treating inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Starting materials were methacrylated dextran (DEX-MA) and methacrylated α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)- dl -aspartamide (PHM). These polymers were photocrosslinked by exposure of their aqueous solutions at 313 nm without photoinitiators. Different samples, shaped as microparticles, were obtained as a function of polymer concentration and irradiation time. FT-IR analysis confirmed the occurrence of a co-crosslinking between DEX-MA and PHM in all exper…

Biopolymer-Based Hybrid Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications: From Macroscopic to Nanosized Systems

2021

Les partícules portadores basades en biopolímers són biocompatibles i ofereixen la capacitat d’incorporar agents actius hidròfils i hidròfobs. La incorporació d’un fàrmac en una matriu polimèrica pot millorar-ne la protecció contra la degradació en mitjans fisiològics severs. A més, pot controlar-ne l’alliberament al lloc d’acció específic, amb una biodisponibilitat terapèutica augmentada i efectes secundaris o toxicitat minimitzats. Aquesta tesi presenta la preparació de diferents sistemes híbrids de polisacàrids per a encapsular substàncies hidròfiles, que posteriorment són alliberades. Es preparen portadors que varien de mida macroscòpica a nanomètrica mitjançant diferents mètodes: gelif…

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 …

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…