Synthesis and Viscoelastic Properties of Hydrophobically Modified Hydrogels

Summary: We report the synthesis and characterization of a family of hydrophobically modified hydrogels designed to have an improved fracture resistance. A backbone of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was functionalized with double bonds and hydrophobic groups. The functionalized PAA was then crosslinked with a dithiol. The chemical structure of the gels was characterized with a combination of NMR, titration methods and rheological techniques. The crosslinked structure of the hydrogel was found to be dependent on the polymer concentration only, while the dissipative properties of the gel increased strongly at all frequencies, with the introduction of hydrophobic groups which formed reversible associations. We expect these viscoelastic hydrogels to display dramatically different properties from the unmodified hydrogels when stretched and fractured.     

Modulated-Temperature Thermomechanical Analysis of Fibres

The application of modulated temperature programming to thermomechanical analysis affords a method for measuring the ‘true’ thermal expansion coefficients of materials that deform irreversibly during normal TMA. This may arise from creep under the applied load or changes in dimensions due to relaxation of orientation. Acrylic fibres made with various degrees of orientation shrink to different extents on heating but all show the same ‘true’ thermal expansion coefficients using this approach. The application of modulated temperature programming to Dynamic Mechanical Analysis is also discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Injectable Polysaccharide Hydrogels as Biocompatible Platforms for Localized and Sustained Delivery of Antibiotics for Preventing Local Infections

Biocompatible and antibacterial hydrogels have received increasing attention for preventing local bacterial infections. In this study, a type of polysaccharide hydrogels is prepared via the Schiff‐based reaction at physiological conditions. The gelation time and mechanical property of the hydrogels are found to be dependent on the polysaccharide concentration and the polysaccharide weight ratio. 3‐(4,5‐Dimethyl‐thiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and live/dead assay indicate that the hydrogels display nontoxicity in vitro. After subcutaneous injection into rats, the hydrogels exhibit an acceptable biocompatibility in vivo. Furthermore, the bacterial inhibition tests by shaking flask method and agar disc‐diffusion method demonstrate that the ceftriaxone‐sodium‐loaded hydrogels have remarkable antibacterial properties in vitro. The in vivo anti‐infective tests further display that the antibiotic‐loaded hydrogels display excellent anti‐infective efficacies in both superficial and deep tissue infection. Consequently, the injectable and biocompatible polysaccharide hydrogels may serve as promising platforms for localized, sustained delivery of antibiotics for preventing local infections.

     

Polysaccharide Hydrogels for the Protection of Dairy-Related Microorganisms in Adverse Environmental Conditions

Adverse environmental conditions are severely limiting the use of microorganisms in food systems, such as probiotic delivery, where low pH causes a rapid decrease in the survival of ingested bacteria, and mixed-culture fermentation, where stepwise changes and/or metabolites of individual microbial groups can hinder overall growth and production. In our study, model probiotic lactic acid bacteria (L. plantarum ATCC 8014, L. rhamnosus GG) and yeasts native to dairy mixed cultures (K. marxianus ZIM 1868) were entrapped in an optimized (cell, alginate and hardening solution concentration, electrostatic working parameters) Ca-alginate system. Encapsulated cultures were examined for short-term survival in the absence of nutrients (lactic acid bacteria) and long-term performance in acidified conditions (yeasts). In particular, the use of encapsulated yeasts in these conditions has not been previously examined. Electrostatic manufacturing allowed for the preparation of well-defined alginate microbeads (180–260 µm diameter), high cell-entrapment (95%) and viability (90%), and uniform distribution of the encapsulated cells throughout the hydrogel matrix. The entrapped L. plantarum maintained improved viabilities during 180 min at pH 2.0 (19% higher when compared to the free culture), whereas, L. rhamnosus appeared to be less robust. The encapsulated K. marxianus exhibited double product yields in lactose- and lactic acid-modified MRS growth media (compared to an unfavorable growth environment for freely suspended cells). Even within a conventional encapsulation system, the pH responsive features of alginate provided superior protection and production of encapsulated yeasts, allowing several applications in lacto-fermented or acidified growth environments, further options for process optimization, and novel carrier design strategies based on inhibitor charge expulsion.     

Rational Design and Development of Anisotropic and Mechanically Strong Gelatin‐Based Stress Relaxing Hydrogels for Osteogenic/Chondrogenic Differentiation

Rational design and development of tailorable simple synthesis process remains a centerpiece of investigational efforts toward engineering advanced hydrogels. In this study, a green and scalable synthesis approach is developed to formulate a set of gelatin‐based macroporous hybrid hydrogels. This approach consists of four sequential steps starting from liquid‐phase pre‐crosslinking/grafting, unidirectional freezing, freeze‐drying, and finally post‐curing process. The chemical crosslinking mainly involves between epoxy groups of functionalized polyethylene glycol and functional groups of gelatin both in liquid and solid state. Importantly, this approach allows to accommodate different polymers, chitosan or hydroxyethyl cellulose, under identical benign condition. Structural and mechanical anisotropy can be tuned by the selection of polymer constituents. Overall, all hydrogels show suitable structural stability, good swellability, high porosity and pore interconnectivity, and maintenance of mechanical integrity during 3‐week‐long hydrolytic degradation. Under compression, hydrogels exhibit robust mechanical properties with nonlinear elasticity and stress‐relaxation behavior and show no sign of mechanical failure under repeated compression at 50% deformation. Biological experiment with human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) reveals that hydrogels are biocompatible, and their physicomechanical properties are suitable to support cells growth, and osteogenic/chondrogenic differentiation, demonstrating their potential application for bone and cartilage regenerative medicine toward clinically relevant endpoints.     

Stress-dependent dynamic compliance spectra approach to the nonlinear viscoelastic response of polymers

The present work reports a discrete, stress-dependent dynamic compliance spectra method which may be used to predict the mechanical response of nonlinear viscoelastic polymers during strain-defined processes. The method is based on the observation that the real and complex parts of the discrete dynamic compliance frequency components obtained from creep measurements are smooth, easily fit functions of stress. Comparisons between experimental measurements and model calculations show that the model exhibits excellent quantitative agreement with the basis creep measurements at all experimental stress levels. The model exhibits good quantitative agreement with stress relaxation measurements at moderate levels of applied strain. However, the model underestimates the experimental stress relaxation at an applied strain of 3.26%. The stress relaxation error appears to be a real material effect resulting from the different strain character of creep and stress relaxation tests. The model provides a good quantitative agreement with experimental constant strain rate measurements up to approximately 4% strain, after which the model underestimates the experimental flow stress. This effect is explained by the time dependence of the stress-activated configurational changes necessary for large strains in glassy polymers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. B Polym. Phys. 36: 2301–2309, 1998     

Direct Synthesis of Biodegradable Polysaccharide Derivative Hydrogels Through Aqueous Diels‐Alder Chemistry

A robust synthetic strategy where polysaccharide derivative precursors react through aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry without the involvement of catalysts and coupling reagents, allowing for the direct encapsulation of positive and negative proteins within biodegradable hydrogels. The results demonstrated that the aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry provides an extremely selective reaction and proceeds with high efficiency for polysaccharide bioconjugation. This synthetic approach uniquely allows for the direct fabrication of biologically functionalized gels with ideal structures, which provides a competitive alternative to conventional conjugation techniques such as click chemistry.

     

Time‐Controllable Lipophilic‐Drug Release System Designed by Loading Lipid Nanoparticles into Polysaccharide Hydrogels

A hybrid hydrogel composed of solid lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) entrapped within chemically cross‐linked carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is developed to achieve localized and sustained release of lipophilic drugs. The analysis of LNP stability as well as the hydrogel swelling and mechanical properties confirm the successful incorporation of particles up to a concentration of 50% w/w_CMC. The initial LNP release rate can be prolonged by increasing the particle diameter from 50 to 120 nm, while the amount of long‐term release can be adjusted by tailoring the particle surface charge or the cross‐linking density of the polymer. After 30 d, 58% of 50 nm diameter negatively charged LNPs escape from the matrix while only 17% of positively charged nanoparticles are released from materials with intermediate cross‐linking density. A mathematical diffusion model based on Fick's second law is efficient to predict the diffusion of the particles from the hydrogels.     

Thermomechanical analysis of merino wool yarns

Summary There is a difference in structure across the wool fibre which is usually referred to as bilateral. The endothermic denaturation doublet of keratins has been observed by different authors for a variety of keratins and measuring conditions and mainly interpreted by different theories. Merino wool yarns have been analyzed by the thermomechanical analysis and at low stress two thermal transitions before melting have been identified. These two thermal transitions are in accordance with the onset temperatures of the denaturation doublet shown by the DSC both at temperatures lower than the thermal degradation temperature determined by TG. The DSC of fibrillated fibres by abrasion showed not a denaturation doublet but just only a denaturation peak. The two transitions of the TMA and the modification of the DSC curve by abrasion seems to confirm that abrasion removes the component which denaturates at lower temperature.     

Hydrogels with Crystalline or Liquid Crystalline Structure

The formation of ordered structure in hydrogels derived from copolymers of hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers with crystalline or liquid‐crystalline moieties is reviewed. The role of water in the formation of ordered structure and its influence on the thermal and mechanical properties of hydrogels are clarified. For example, by inducing a certain amount of water, an amorphous to crystalline transition occurs in gels of acrylic acid/alkyl acrylate copolymers. On the other hand, water induces a liquid‐crystalline (SmA) to liquid‐crystalline (SmI) transition in copolymers consisting of acrylic acid and 11‐(4′‐cyanobiphenyloxy)undecyl acrylate. These specific features regarding the formation of ordered structures in hydrogels might shed some light on the formation of ordered structure in biological tissues.     

Locust Bean Gum Hydrogels Formed by Freezing and Thawing

Locust bean gum (LBG) hydrogels were prepared by freezing and thawing. It was found that the junction zone of LBG hydrogels is tightly formed by repeating freezing and thawing. During this process, LBG molecules not connected with the junction zone are excluded from the gel portion and the remaining molecules gradually form densely packed hydrogels. Molecular conformation in the sol state affects the rate of the junction formation. Obtained LBG hydrogels are thermally stable and no gel-sol transition was observed in temperatures from 40 to 100 °C by the observation of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Non-freezing water content calculated from the DSC melting peak of water in the gel indicates that the junction zone became dense with increasing freezing and thawing.     

Controlled Release of IgG by Novel UV Induced Polysaccharide/Poly(amino acid) Hydrogels

The development of new protein and peptide drugs needs new delivery systems able to entrap such drugs in safe conditions without affecting their structure and biological activity. In this context, the present work reports a new approach to load IgG, used as a model of therapeutic proteins such as anti‐TNF‐α monoclonal antibodies, into a polymeric system able to release the entrapped IgG in a controlled manner. In particular, new polysaccharide/poly(amino acid) UV induced hydrogels are proposed as colon delivery systems for human IgG. The poly(amino acid), α,β‐poly[N‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐D ,L ‐aspartamide], has been functionalized with methacrylic anhydride, while the polysaccharide, inulin, has been functionalized with methacrylic anhydride and succinic anhydride. The hydrogels were obtained by a short‐time UV irradiation, in physiological‐like conditions, without the use of radical initiators, at low temperature and in the presence or in the absence of PEGDM₅₅₀ used as a co‐crosslinker in order to evaluate potential differences in terms of physicochemical properties and release profile. The obtained hydrogels were degradable by inulinase, showed a high cell compatibility and the released antibodies, analyzed by SEC and ELISA, retained their biological activity.

     

Emerging Technology of Nanofiber-Composite Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

Hydrogels and nanofibers have been firmly established as go-to materials for various biomedical applications. They have been mostly utilized separately, rarely together, because of their distinctive attributes and shortcomings. However, the potential benefits of integrating nanofibers with hydrogels to synergistically combine their functionalities while attenuating their drawbacks are increasingly recognized. Compared to other nanocomposite materials, incorporating nanofibers into hydrogel has the distinct advantage of emulating the hierarchical structure of natural extracellular environment needed for cell and tissue culture. The most important technological aspect of developing “nanofiber-composite hydrogel” is generating nanofibers made of various polymers that are cross-linked and short enough to maintain stable dispersion in hydrated environment. In this review, recent research efforts to develop nanofiber-composite hydrogels are presented, with added emphasis on nanofiber processing techniques. Several notable examples of implementing nanofiber-composite hydrogels for biomedical applications are also introduced.     

Toughening Polyamidoamine Hydrogels through Covalent Grafting of Short Silk Fibers

Linear amphoteric polyamidoamines (PAAs) are usually water-soluble, biodegradable and biocompatible. Crosslinked PAAs form in water hydrogels, retaining most of the favorable properties of their linear counterparts. The hydrogels prepared by the radical post-polymerization of the oligo-α,ω-bisacrylamido-terminated PAA called AGMA1, obtained by the polyaddition of 4-aminobutylguanidine (agmatine) with 2,2-bis(acrylamido)acetic acid, exhibit excellent cell-adhesion properties both in vitro and in vivo. However, due to their low mechanical strength, AGMA1 hydrogels cannot be sewn to biological tissues and need to be reinforced with fibrous materials. In this work, short silk fibers gave excellent results in this sense, proving capable of establishing covalent bonds with the PAA matrix, thanks to their lysine content, which provided amino groups capable of reacting with the terminal acrylamide groups of the AGMA1 precursor in the final crosslinking phase. Morphological analyses demonstrated that the AGMA1 matrix was intimately interconnected and adherent to the silk fibers, with neither visible holes nor empty volumes. The silk/H-AGMA1 composites were still reversibly swellable in water. In the swollen state, they could be sewn and showed no detachment between fibers and matrix and exhibited significantly improved mechanical properties compared with the plain hydrogels, particularly as regards their Young’s modulus and elongation at break.     

Efficient Water Cleaning by Self-standing Carbon Nitride Films Derived from Supramolecular Hydrogels

The design of efficient self-standing hybrid systems for water purification that combines good adsorption properties with high photodegradation ability is highly challenging owing to the difficulty in simultaneously controlling the band structure and porosity of a semiconductor while maintaining its self-standing nature. Here, we report the synthesis of carbon-rich carbon nitride self-standing filters from supramolecular hydrogels composed of melamine and cyanobenzoic acid. The influence of the chemical structure on the properties of the hydrogels and the final films was studied by tuning parameters such as monomer nature, molar ratio, and pyrolysis temperature. Thanks to their ability to combine the adsorption and photodegradation of organic pollutants, the prepared self-standing films showed remarkable activity and stability in flow conditions (>95 % efficiency after 10 consecutive cycles). Additionally, the photocatalytic activity of the films was assessed in the powder form for the hydrogen evolution reaction and photocurrent generation in a photoelectrochemical cell. The reported work opens opportunities for the controlled synthesis of multifunctional filters for water purification and other energy-related and sustainable technologies.     

纳米复合水凝胶的研究进展

传统水凝胶存在机械性能差、响应速度慢等缺点,限制了它作为新材料的应用前景。纳米材料具有独特的微观尺度结构和性质,在电子学、光学、机械学、生物学等领域展现出巨大的潜力。将无机纳米材料添加入水凝胶中不但有可能提高水凝胶的机械强度,同时还能赋予凝胶特殊的新性能,如电响应性能、紫外吸收性能、磁敏感性能等。因而纳米复合水凝胶成为近期的研究热点。本文综述了纳米复合水凝胶的增强理论、典型制备方法及其功能化研究进展。     

石墨烯基水凝胶的研究进展

石墨烯具有独特的导电、导热和力学性能,既能够自组装为电化学性能优良的石墨烯水凝胶,又可以与小分子和聚合物进行复合制备多功能性复合水凝胶,大幅度地拓展了传统水凝胶的应用范围。本文主要分为四部分来综述近些年来石墨烯基水凝胶的研究进展。第一部分简要介绍了石墨烯的研究背景和石墨烯基水凝胶的研究意义。第二部分主要根据石墨烯基水凝胶的组成将其分为石墨烯水凝胶、石墨烯/小分子和石墨烯/聚合物复合水凝胶三类,分别介绍了它们的制备方法、形成机理和凝胶性能。其中,对石墨烯/小分子复合水凝胶的介绍以石墨烯基超分子水凝胶为主,而对石墨烯/聚合物复合水凝胶的介绍以智能型水凝胶为主。第三部分主要介绍了石墨烯基水凝胶在超级电容器、水处理、控释药物、微流体开关、催化剂载体等方面的应用和发展。最后,对该领域所面临的挑战进行了总结和展望。     

Reversible Phase Transition of Robust Luminescent Hybrid Hydrogels

We report herein on remote control over a reversible phase transition of robust luminescent hybrid hydrogels as enabled by the rational selection and incorporation of photoswitches. Azobenzene units functionalized with a guanidinium group were utilized as the photoswitches and incorporated through a host–guest inclusion method involving α‐cyclodextrins functionalized with 2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylic acid (PDA) groups. While the guanidinium functional groups bind to the negatively charged Laponite matrix surface to connect organic and inorganic components, the PDA groups enable simultaneous coordination with different lanthanide metal ions, thus rendering the hydrogel broadly luminescent. Owing to its conformation‐dependent binding behavior with α‐cyclodextrin, the isomerization of azobenzene induced association or dissociation of the inclusion complexes and thus lead to a reversible photocontrolled sol?gel phase transition of the luminescent hybrid hydrogels.     

环境敏感水凝胶的研究进展

综述了环境敏感水凝胶在制备、功能性及其应用方面的研究进展 ,尤其是温敏水凝胶、pH敏感水凝胶和盐敏水凝胶的研究状况 ,也对光敏和生物分子敏感水凝胶进行了简单评述