Biodegradable poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-maleylgelatin) hydrogels with adjustable swelling behavior

Self-healing hyaluronic acid/polylysine hydrogel prepared by dual-click chemistry from polyrotaxane slidable crosslinkers

A new type of pH-sensitive hydrogel containing supramolecular structures was fabricated from maleimide-functionalized polyrotaxane, ɛ-polylysine and furan-functionalized hyaluronic acid by Diels-Alder reaction and amino-maleimide reaction. Firstly, pseudo polyrotaxane was obtained through self-assembly of polyethylene glycol and α-cyclodextrin, and then capped with 1-adamantanecarboxylic acid to convert it into polyrotaxane. Secondly, a maleimide-functionalized slidable crosslinker was obtained by modifying the polyrotaxane with 3-maleimide propionic acid, and furan-functionalized hyaluronic acid was prepared by modifying it with 2-furanmethylamine. Thirdly, the hydrogel cotaining supramolecular structures was fabricated from the prepared slidable crosslinker, ɛ-polylysine, and furan-functionalized hyaluronic acid in mixed solvent of water and N,N-dimethylformamide. Taking gel mass fraction and swelling ratio as two indicators, the formation parameters of hydrogel were optimized through single- factor experiments. The pH-sensitivity, rheological properties, self-healing performance, and degradation behavior of the hydrogel were investigated. Cytotoxicity assay, live/dead stains, and hemolysis assay were done to verify the biocompatibility of the hydrogel. Finally, the slow-release behavior of the hydrogel containing lidocaine hydrochloride was studied. The hydrogel possesses good biocompatibility, pH-sensitivity, self-healing behavior, degradation, and drug-controlled release, and can find broad application in biomaterials.

Preparation and application of the thermo-/pH-/ ion-sensitive semi-IPN hydrogel based on chitosan

Chitosan based hydrogels with multiple stimulus responses have broad application prospects in many fields. Considering the advantages of semi interpenetrating network (IPN) technology and the special temperature and ion responsiveness of polymers containing zwitterionic groups, a semi-IPN hydrogel was prepared through in situ free radical polymerization of N,N-dimethyl acrylamide and [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide with polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a crosslinker and carboxymethyl chitosan as filler. The gel mass fraction and swelling ratio were measured, and the preparation conditions were optimized. The result indicated that the hydrogel possessed a unique thermo-/pH-/ ion-sensitive behavior. The swelling ratio increased with the increase of temperature and ion concentration, and showed a decreasing trend with the increase in pH. In addition, the hydrogel was stable when the stimuli changed. Adsorption behavior of the hydrogel to Eosin Y (EY) was systematically investigated. The adsorption process can be described well by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, indicating that it was a chemical adsorption. The experiments indicated that the hydrogel exhibited good antifouling and reusability features. Therefore, the semi-IPN hydrogel with antifouling properties and thermo-/pH-/ion-sensitivity can be easily manufactured is expected to find applications in water treatment fields.

Stimuli-responsive dynamic hydrogels: design, properties and tissue engineering applications

The field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has been evolving at a rapid pace with numerous novel and interesting biomaterials being reported. Hydrogels have come a long way in this regard and have been proven to be an excellent choice for tissue regeneration. This could be due to their innate properties such as water retention, and ability to carry and deliver a multitude of therapeutic and regenerative elements to aid in better outcomes. Over the past few decades, hydrogels have been developed into an active and attractive system that can respond to various stimuli, thereby presenting a wider control over the delivery of the therapeutic agents to the intended site in a spatiotemporal manner. Researchers have developed hydrogels that respond dynamically to a multitude of external as well as internal stimuli such as mechanics, thermal energy, light, electric field, ultrasonics, tissue pH, and enzyme levels, to name a few. This review gives a brief overview of the recent developments in such hydrogel systems which respond dynamically to various stimuli, some of the interesting fabrication strategies, and their application in cardiac, bone, and neural tissue engineering.

Ionic Liquid Cross-Linked High-Absorbent Polymer Hydrogels: Kinetics of Swelling and Dye Adsorption

The use of polymer gels for the removal of toxic chemicals from wastewater is an important area in terms of both academic and industrial research. This work presents a simple approach to the fabrication of chemically cross-linked cationic hydrogel adsorbents using designed ionic liquid-based cross-linkers and their successful use in the removal of organic dyes. Two different ionic liquid cross-linkers, [VIm-4VBC][Cl] (ILA)/[DMAEMA-4VBC][Cl] (ILB), are synthesized by the simple nucleophilic substitution reaction of 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (4VBC) separately with 1-vinylimidazole (VIm) and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). Cross-linked poly(acrylamide) (CPAam) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (CPHEMA) hydrogels are then prepared from the corresponding monomers and as-synthesized cross-linkers (ILA and ILB) by free radical polymerization in the presence of a redox initiator combining ammonium persulfate (APS) and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED). The dried CPAam and CPHEMA xerogels exhibit macroporous morphology and high thermal stability. The hydrogel samples exhibit high swelling behavior, and the diffusion of water molecules into the hydrogels follows pseudo-Fickian kinetics. The cationic cross-linking sites in the hydrogel networks allow preferable binding with anionic dyes, and these dye uptake capacities are determined using different model anionic dyes via UV-vis spectroscopy. The dye adsorption onto these hydrogels follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption mechanism is also analyzed by employing intraparticle diffusion and Boyd kinetic models. The relationship between the maximum equilibrium adsorption capacity (q_m) of the hydrogels for eosin B (EB) dye and the equilibrium EB concentration can be better described by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and the estimated q_m using the Langmuir isotherm can reach more than 100 mg g^-1. The cross-linked hydrogels can be easily regenerated and have a recycling efficiency of >80% for up to three consecutive dye adsorption-desorption cycles, which is promising for their use in wastewater treatment.

Chemically crosslinked guar gum hydrogels: An investigation on the water transport and its relationship with hydrocortisone release

In this work, we describe the synthesis, the characterization, and the potential application of a pH-responsive guar gum-based hydrogel. The polysaccharide produced permanent hydrogels with improved biocompatibility. In this work, we report the chemical modification of guar gum (with glycidyl methacrylate) and its use, as the main constituent, in obtaining chemically cross-linked hydrogels. The morphology, swelling properties, and cytotoxicity of the resulting materials were studied in-depth. The hydrogels showed to be pH-responsive, and non-toxic being safe to use it as a biomaterial. In addition, we tested the potential of this one as a drug carrier. Herein, we have chosen hydrocortisone (HCS) as a drug model. The mechanism of HCS release changed as a function of pH, owing to different responses in each medium. Our results indicate that the guar gum hydrogels have great potential to be used, with safety, as a drug carrier.