Preparation and characterization of PVA/SA/HA composite hydrogels for wound dressing

A composite hydrogel based on, by introducing, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, and hyaluronic acid was fabricated using CaCl₂ as a cross-linker. The physical properties including morphology, water vapor transmission rate, and hydrophilicity were investigated. All PVA/SA/HA composite hydrogels with different compositions had highly homogeneous and interconnected pores, and the morphologies of the PVA/SA/HA hydrogels ranged from fibrous structure to irregular structure with increasing content of SA. The introduction of sodium alginate enhanced the hydrophilicity and water vapor transmission capacity of the hydrogel; however, the hydrophilicity of the composite hydrogels decreased with the increasing cross-linker content.     

Preparation and characterization of temperature- and pH-sensitive hemicellulose-containing hydrogels

In this work, a hemicellulose-containing hydrogel was synthesized. As the first step, a temperature- and pH-sensitive copolymer was synthesized from itaconic acid and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm). Then the hydrogel was prepared by reacting the copolymer with acylated hemicellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. The morphology, compressive strength, thermal stability, swelling/deswelling behavior, drug-release behavior performances of the hydrogels were investigated. The lower critical solution temperature of the hydrogels varied in 34–44°C when the NIPAAm and itaconic acid mass ratios ranged in 100/0–90/10. Both temperature and pH had a significant influence on equilibrium swelling ratio of hydrogels. The equilibrium swelling ratio increased with pH, but decreased with temperature. Cytocompatibility assay demonstrated that this hemicellulose-containing hydrogel was biocompatible. The release process of salicylic acid suggested that this hydrogel had a potential use in controlled drug release.     

Viscoelasticity,mechanical properties,and in vivo biocompatibility of injectable polyvinyl alcohol/bioactive glass composite hydrogels as potential bone tissue scaffolds

Abstract

An injectable composite hydrogel composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and bioactive glass (BG) particles were synthesized by a physical crosslinking approach. The morphology, mechanical properties, and viscoelasticity of the PVA/BG composite hydrogel were characterized. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) showed uniform and homogeneous distribution of BG particles throughout the composite hydrogel. The incorporation of 2.5?wt% of BG particles in the composite hydrogel formulations, enhanced the static compressive strength and static elastic modulus by 325% and 150%, respectively. The storage molds (G′) was greater than the loss modules (G′′) at all the frequency range studied, which revealed a self-standing elastic composite hydrogel with a smooth injectability. The PVA/BG composite hydrogel was also implanted subcutaneously in the dorsal region of adult male rats. After 4?weeks of implantation, no inflammatory cells were seen within and around the implant, which indicated that the composite hydrogel was biocompatible. The properties of the synthesized injectable PVA/BG composite hydrogel demonstrate its capability toward bone regeneration.     

Bentonite Reinforced Tough Composite Hydrogels as Potential Artificial Articular Cartilage

Novel tough composite hydrogels were prepared from inorganic bentonite(IB), polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) and polyethylene glycol(PEG) by means of a freeze-thaw technique, during which IB acted as multifunctional physically crosslinking junction and a filler to bridge the 3D network hydrogel; while the physical adsorption between IB and the polymer chains served as sacrificial bonds and increased the energy dissipation efficiency. The effects of different content of IB(w_IB) on the morphological, thermal, swelling, and mechanical properties of the hydrogels were investigated. It was found that the added IB promoted the material crosslinking and stability, and the mechanical properties of the hydrogels were significantly improved with increasing w_IB. The highest tensile stress of the hydrogel was achieved(1.1 MPa) when w_IBwas 5%. The synthesized hydrogels with high mechanical strength and low friction coefficient are potential candidate materials for artificial cartilage.     

Composite Hydrogels for Sustained Release of Therapeutic Agents

The goal of this research is to develop a composite hydrogel system for sustained release of therapeutic agents. The hydrogel composites were prepared by embedding drug‐loaded, biodegradable poly (DL‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) microparticles in semicrystalline hydrogels of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The gels were physically cross‐linked by the formation of the crystallites. The presence of the crystallites and the composite nature of the structure were confirmed by using differential scanning calorimetry and ATR‐FTIR spectroscopy. The distribution of microparticles in the hydrogel matrix was evaluated by using confocal laser scanning microscopy with coumarin‐6 as a fluorescence marker. The numbers of particles in the hydrogel matrix increased along the scanning depth, indicating uneven distribution. The release behavior of a model therapeutic agent, hydrocortisone, was evaluated, and the hydrogel composite system provided for better control of release than the microparticles and hydrogels alone. The addition of outer layers of PVA to the original single‐layer composite further reduced the initial burst effect from the microparticles and allowed for a linear release profile for greater than 1 month.     

Fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan oligosaccharide hydrogel: physicochemical characterizations and in vitro drug release study

Abstract

Hydrogel composites from polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan have been developed by various researchers as a function of their composition for various medical applications. Although, the solubility of chitosan in acidic solvents may limit its wide bioengineering applications. In this article, we demonstrate that polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan oligosaccharide (water soluble) to develop cross-linked hydrogel network using chemical cross linker. X ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and wettability study of these hydrogels were also performed. Lomefloxacin drug was loaded into the hydrogels and its release profile was studied.     

基于Pickering乳液的磁性高强水凝胶的制备及性能表征

合成了一种磁性Fe3O4纳米颗粒稳定的水包油(O/W)Pickering乳液并以其作为交联剂,在适宜条件下引发单体丙烯酰胺聚合来制备了一种新型的磁性高强复合水凝胶.采用X射线衍射(XRD)及场发射扫描电子显微镜(SEM)分别对磁性Fe3O4纳米颗粒和复合水凝胶的结构进行了表征,结果表明Pickering乳胶粒子较均匀地分布在复合凝胶网络中.溶胀性能测试及溶胀动力学分析表明复合水凝胶具有良好的溶胀性能,能够吸收自身干重100倍左右的水,其溶胀过程不遵循Fickian扩散模型;拉伸测试表明该水凝胶具有优异的力学性能,其拉伸强度能够达到150 kPa左右,断裂伸长率能够达到300%左右,并且当其承受的应力释放后能快速地恢复到初始形态.磁性能测试的结果显示该水凝胶具有良好的磁性.     

Enhancement of dispersion stability of inorganic additives via poly(sodium-4-styrenesulfonate) treatment geared to hydrogel applications

This study reports the preparation of poly(sodium-4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS) treated bentonite and clinoptilolite to prevent the agglomeration and sedimentation of these inorganic fillers during the preparation of hydrogel. For this purpose PSS treated fillers were prepared by using various techniques (dip and dry, hydrothermal, one-step ball milling and ultrasonication methods). The most suitable technique for preparing these PSS treated inorganic fillers (abbreviated as BP-dip and CP-dip) was the dip and dry method. BP-dip and CP-dip based polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVA/PVP) composite hydrogels were prepared using the freeze/thawing method after the addition of one of BP-dip and CP-dip inorganic fillers in various amounts. The swelling properties, stability behaviors and Rhodamine B (RhB) adsorption of the composite hydrogels were studied. It was found that the swelling degrees of CP-dip and BP-dip based composite hydrogels with 25 mg of filler were higher than that of all other samples. The kinetic mechanism of RhB adsorption process and the related characteristic kinetic parameters were investigated by Pseudo kinetic models. The adsorption kinetics results for RhB adsorption were found best fitted with pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The maximum RhB adsorption capacity was determined to be for PVA/PVP-CP-dip25, which was 3.3 times higher than that of the unfilled PVA/PVP hydrogel.     

Designing Polyaniline (PANI) and Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Based Electrically Conductive Nanocomposites: Preparation,Characterization and Blood Compatible Study

Novel electrically conducting and biocompatible composite hydrogel materials comprising of poly (aniline) (PANI) nanoparticles dispersed in a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) – g–poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) matrix were prepared by in situ polymerization of aniline. The prepared ionic hydrogels were evaluated for their water uptake capacity in distilled water. While structural insights into the synthesized polymer was sought by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X–Ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques, morphology and dimension of PANI particles embedded into the colored optically semi–transparent polymer films were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis and Transmittance Electron Microscopy (TEM) while thermal behavior of composite hydrogel was investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Electrical conductivity of composite hydrogels containing different PANI percentage was determined by LCR. Considering the potential of electrically conductive nanocomposites materials in biomedical applications the in vitro blood compatibility of nanocomposites was investigated by employing several in vitro tests.     

Swelling Kinetics of Microgels Embedded in a Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Matrix

Composite hydrogels—macroscopic hydrogels with embedded microgel particles—are expected to respond to external stimuli quickly because microgels swell much faster than bulky gels. In this work, the kinetics of the pH‐induced swelling of a composite hydrogel are studied using turbidity measurements. The embedded microgel is a pH‐ and thermosensitive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid) microgel and the hydrogel matrix is polyacrylamide. A rapid pH‐induced swelling of the embedded microgel particles is observed, confirming that composite hydrogels respond faster than ordinary hydrogels. However, compared with the free microgels, the swelling of the embedded microgel is much slower. Diffusion of OH^? into the composite hydrogel film is identified as the main reason for the slow swelling of the embedded microgel particles, as the time of the pH‐induced swelling of this film is comparable to that of OH^? diffusion into the film. The composition of the hydrogel matrix does not significantly change the characteristic swelling time of the composite hydrogel film. However, the swelling pattern of the film changes with composition of the hydrogel matrix.     

Development and evaluation of novel hydrogel for preventing postoperative pancreatic fistula

Pancreatic fistula is a complication that frequently occurs after pancreatic surgery. Although various attempts have been made to prevent pancreatic fistula after pancreatic surgery, no effective methods have been developed thus far. In this study, to prevent the pancreatic fistula, we attempted to prepare the hydrogels consisting of two types of polyvinyl alcohol (PVAs), Poval® and Exceval® by the freezing–thawing (F/T) method. As the concentration and the number of F/T cycles increased, it was revealed that the swelling degree tended to decrease, and tensile strength tended to increase. Especially, Exceval® formed more robust hydrogels than that of Poval® hydrogel prepared by the same conditions. Furthermore, the release behavior of tartrazine from 10% Exceval® hydrogels differed depending on the number of F/T cycles. It was also revealed that the diffusion pattern of the drug in the hydrogel differed along with the release, and the entire amount of tartrazine in the hydrogel was released by 120 min. As nafamostat mesylate was loaded, in vivo study, Pancreatic enzyme values were obtained after 48 h, which allowed comparison of the preventive effects against pancreatic fistula between the untreated group, the Exceval® hydrogel group, and nafamostat mesylate-containing Exceval®-applied group. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between the untreated group and the hydrogel-applied group. Besides, PVA hydrogels prepared by the F/T method could probably absorb pancreatic enzymes. This study found that Exceval® hydrogel prepared by the F/T method was considered a novel hydrogel formulation to prevent pancreatic fistula.     

Effect of Amino Acid Types on the Mechanical and Antimicrobial Properties of Amino Acid-Based Polyionic Liquid Hydrogels

Polyionic liquid hydrogels attract increasing attention due to their unique properties and potential applications. However, research on amino acid-based polyionic liquid hydrogels is still in its infancy stage. Moreover, the effect of amino acid types on the properties of hydrogels is rarely studied to date. In this work, amino acid-based polyionic liquid hydrogels (D/L-PCAA hydrogels) are synthesized by copolymerizing vinyl choline–amino acid ionic liquids and acrylic acids using Al³⁺ as a crosslinking agent and bacterial cellulose (BC) as a reinforcing agent. The effects of amino acid types on mechanical and antimicrobial properties are systematically investigated. D-arginine-based hydrogel (D-PCArg) shows the highest tensile strength (220.7 KPa), D-phenylalanine-based hydrogel (D-PCPhe) exhibits the highest elongation at break (1346%), and L-aspartic acid-based hydrogel (L-PCAsp) has the highest elastic modulus (206.9 KPa) and toughness (1.74 MJ m⁻³). D/L-PCAsp hydrogels demonstrate stronger antibacterial capacity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and D/L-PCPhe hydrogels possess higher antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. Moreover, the resultant hydrogels exhibit prominent hemocompatibility and low toxicity, as well as excellent self-healing capabilities (86%) and conductivity (2.8 S m⁻¹). These results indicate that D/L-PCAA hydrogel provides a promise for applications in wound dressings.     

Overview of Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Electro‐Skin,Actuator, Supercapacitor and Fuel Cell

The properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite hydrogels influenced by nanoparticles are reviewed. Various kinds of nanoparticles with excellent mechanical and electrical properties have been introduced into PVA hydrogel to produce stretchable and conductive PVA nanocomposite hydrogel. Understanding the mechanism between the matrix of PVA hydrogel and nanoparticles is therefore critical for the development of PVA nanocomposite hydrogels. This review focuses on the nanoparticles include carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide and metal nanoparticles, and describes the effects of nanoparticles on the mechanical and conductive properties of PVA nanocomposite hydrogels. A new promising area of soft stretchable PVA nanocomposite hydrogel is highlighted for possible applications. Finally, a brief outlook for future research is presented.     

高强度聚乙烯醇/聚苯胺/聚吡咯/TiO2导电杂化水凝胶的制备与性能

本文以聚乙烯醇(PVA)、苯胺(ANI)、吡咯(Py)及钛酸丁酯(TBOT)为原料,通过溶胶-凝胶法、原位氧化聚合法及冷冻-融溶法一步得到聚乙烯醇/聚苯胺/聚吡咯/TiO 2(PVA/PANI/PPy/TiO 2)杂化水凝胶。结果表明,该杂化水凝胶具有优异的力学性能和导电性能。当n(ANI)∶[KG-*3/5]n(Py)=8∶[KG-*3/5]2(TBOT体积为100μL)时,其压缩强度高达2.45 MPa。同时,在外加电源的作用下,该凝胶能够使灯泡发光。当n(ANI)∶[KG-*3/5]n(Py)=2∶[KG-*3/5]8(TBOT体积为150μL)时,杂化水凝胶的电导率(0.25 S/m)最好。该杂化水凝胶有望广泛地应用在柔性可穿戴电子器件、安全离子电池、传感器和生物器件等领域。     

层状纳米纤维素膜/PVA复合水凝胶的制备与力学性能研究

采用叠层复合与物理相分离的方法制备了层状纳米细菌纤维素(BC)膜/聚乙烯醇( PVA)复合水凝胶.研究了聚乙烯醇的质量百分数、BC膜的复合层数以及制备条件对复合水凝胶力学性能的影响;通过扫描电镜( SEM)观察比较了复合水凝胶中BC膜层与PVA界面结合情况.结果表明,复合水凝胶的力学性能与PVA的质量百分数和BC膜含水...     

Impacts of some macromolecules on the characteristics of hydrogels prepared from pineapple peel cellulose using ionic liquid

Composite hydrogels were prepared from pineapple peel cellulose with the combinations of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), к-carrageenan (CN), or soluble starch (SH) in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride solvent. Impacts of these macromolecules on the texture profile analysis (TPA) parameters, equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR), and sodium salicylate (NaSA) load of the prepared hydrogels were studied. The NaSA release kinetics of the composite hydrogels were also compared. The composite hydrogels exhibited differences in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), TPA parameters, ESR, NaSA load ratio, and release kinetics. CN addition increased the hardness of the hydrogels, while PEG played an opposite role. SH and PVA could decrease hardness, gumminess, and resilience, and SH could increase the springiness and cohesiveness of the hydrogels. Most of the composite hydrogels exhibited the same basic FTIR features as the simple hydrogel. Freeze-dried composite hydrogels exhibited a markedly higher ESR than the oven-dried ones, and additions of PEG, PVA, CN, and SH showed the same effect. Addition of the PEG and PVA combination could lower the ESR of the hydrogels, whereas additions of the PEG and CN combination or PEG and SH combination could markedly increase the ESR of the hydrogels. Addition of PEG, PVA, CN, and SH respectively could increase the NaSA load ratio of the hydrogels. Oven-drying treatment, additions of the PEG and PVA combination or PEG and CN combination were propitious for extending the NaSA fast-release phase of the hydrogels.     

Xylan hemicellulose improves chitosan hydrogel for bone tissue regeneration

The hemicellulose xylan, which has immunomodulatory effects, has been combined with chitosan to form a composite hydrogel to improve the healing of bone fractures. This thermally responsive and injectable hydrogel, which is liquid at room temperature and gels at physiological temperature, improves the response of animal host tissue compared with similar pure chitosan hydrogels in tissue engineering models. The composite hydrogel was placed in a subcutaneous model where the composite hydrogel is replaced by host tissue within 1 week, much earlier than chitosan hydrogels. A tibia fracture model in mice showed that the composite encourages major remodeling of the fracture callus in less than 4 weeks. A non‐union fracture model in rat femurs was used to demonstrate that the composite hydrogel allows bone regeneration and healing of defects that with no treatment are unhealed after 6 weeks. These results suggest that the xylan/chitosan composite hydrogel is a suitable bone graft substitute able to aid in the repair of large bone defects. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Application of Cellulose Based Nano-Biocomposite Hydrogels

Nano-hydroxyapatite/cellulose-graft-polyacrylamide biocomposite hydrogels of different molar ratios were prepared to examine their potential application as a carrier for colon targeted drug delivery in vitro. The particle size of the synthesized nano-hydroxyapatite was found to be 122 nm. The swelling behavior of the composite hydrogels was observed in acidic and basic aqueous solution that simulated lower small intestine, colon and stomach fluids. The hydrogel could be applied in drug-delivery systems and acetylsalicylic acid was used as a model compound to test such a possibility. Finally, the synthesized biocomposite hydrogels with the 96.97% maximum encapsulation and 85.67% release efficiency in the basic medium were found to be a suitable candidate to carry and release of colon-targeted drugs.     

Flexible,stretchable and conductive PVA/PEDOT:PSS composite hydrogels prepared by SIPN strategy

Stretchable conductive hydrogels have received significant attention due to their possibility of being utilized in wearable electronics and healthcare devices. In this work, a semi-interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN) strategy was employed to fabricate a set of flexible, stretchable and conductive composite hydrogels composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in the presence of glutaraldehyde as the crosslinker, HCl as the catalyst and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as the conductive medium. The results from FTIR, Raman, SEM and TGA indicate that a chemical crosslinking network and interactions of PVA and PEDOT:PSS exist in the SIPN hydrogels. The swelling ratio of hydrogels decreased with increasing content of PEDOT:PSS. Due to the chemical crosslinking network and interactions of PVA and PEDOT:PSS, PVA networks semi-interpenetrated with PEDOT:PSS exhibited excellent tensile and compression properties. The tensile strength and elongation at breakage of the composite hydrogels with 0.14 wt% PEDOT:PSS were 70 KPa and 239%, respectively. The compression stress of the composite hydrogels with 0.14 wt% PEDOT:PSS at a strain of 50% was about 216 KPa. The electrical conductivity of the hydrogels increased with increasing PEDOT:PSS content. The flexible, stretchable and conductive properties endow the composite hydrogel sensor with a superior gauge factor of up to 4.4 (strain: 100%). Coupling the strain sensing capability to the flexibility, good mechanical properties and high electrical conductivity, we consider that the designed PVA/PEDOT:PSS composite hydrogels have promising applications in wearable devices, such as flexible electronic skin and sensitive strain sensors.     

Irradiation of Crosslinked, Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Blended Hydrogel for Wound Dressing

In order to obtain a more ideal hydrogel wound dressing, crosslinked hydrogel films blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone, kappa-carrageenan (KC), and powder silk were prepared by electron beam, and their physiochemical properties were investigated as a combination of function factors. The experimental results showed that the gel fraction of the hydrogel films depended mainly on irradiation dose and the monomer concentration of the polymers, the properties of hydrogel could be greatly extended or improved by blending homopolymers. The rate of gel formation of the hydrogel was raised, and the water evaporation from hydrogel could be retarded after mixing with KC, while the tensile strength of hydrogel films were obviously increased after mixing with silk. Toxicity and healing effect of PVA/PVP/KC/silk blended hydrogel films as wound dressings were evaluated. The irradiated blended hydrogel showed satisfactory properties for wound dressing, the hydrogel did not induceany acute general toxic effects, and it is effective for fast healing of wound.