聚丙烯酸水凝胶的制备及其对结晶紫的控制释放

通过自由基聚合制备出聚丙烯酸水凝胶,考察了交联剂、单体中和度、盐对水凝胶溶胀性能的影响,以结晶紫为模板研究了水凝胶对结晶紫的控制释放性能。结果表明,交联剂用量在0.8%,单体中和度为70%时水凝胶溶胀性能最佳;在相同条件下,聚丙烯酸水凝胶的溶胀率随盐溶液浓度的增大而降低;聚丙烯酸水凝胶对药物具有良好的控制释放性能,对结晶紫的释放为扩散机制。     

羟丙基壳聚糖/氧化甲基纤维素自愈合水凝胶的制备及其载药性能

采用高碘酸钠对甲基纤维素（MC）进行氧化制备了氧化甲基纤维素（DAMC），通过羟丙基壳聚糖（HPC）的氨基与DAMC的醛基发生希夫碱反应制备了HPC/DAMC自愈合水凝胶。通过调节HPC和DAMC含量探究水凝胶的微观形态、溶胀性能、力学性能、自愈合性能、体外降解以及药物缓释性能。结果表明，HPC/DAMC自愈合水凝胶具有相互连通的孔隙，且孔径处于80～375μm范围内，在室温无刺激条件下能够在20 min内实现自愈合且具有良好的拉伸性能。此外，HPC/DAMC自愈合水凝胶具有良好的保水性，其溶胀比为14.0～17.4。在溶菌酶的作用下，HPC/DAMC自愈合水凝胶在60 h时质量损失率可达84.2%～99.6%。HPC/DAMC自愈合水凝胶对抗肿瘤药物吉西他滨具有缓释效果，缓释作用长达96 h，药物累积释放率达到83.2%～92.7%。     

Superabsorbent hydrogels from poly(aspartic acid) with salt-, temperature- and pH-responsiveness properties

Polyaspartic acid (PAsp) resin was synthesized by polysuccinimide (PSI), through chemical cross-linking using the cross-linking agent (diamine). The effects of reaction variables, such as PSI concentration and terminal pH on the water absorbent capacity have been studied. These phenomena were discussed according to structural parameters, which were confirmed by SEM. Water absorbencies were compared for the hydrogels at terminal pH 8 and 10. The water absorbent capacity enhanced with increasing terminal pH and decreasing PSI concentration. The swelling/deswelling kinetics of the super-absorbent hydrogels was investigated as well. It is found that the hydrogels showed ampholytic and reversible pH-responsiveness properties. The variational water absorbencies were attributed to swelling theory based on the hydrogel physical and chemical structure. The swelling was also extremely sensitive to the temperature, ionic strength and cationic kind. The reversible pH-responsiveness, salt- and temperature-sensitivity of the hydrogels make this intelligentized polymer had wider applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of in situ cross-linked hydrogel based on self-assembly of thiol-modified chitosan with PEG diacrylate using Michael type addition

A novel injectable in situ cross-linked hydrogel has been designed via Michael type addition between thiol-modified chitosan (CS-NAC) and PEG diacrylate (PEGDA). Hydrogel was rapidly formed in situ under physiological conditions. The gelation time depended on the content of free thiols in CS-NAC, temperature, and concentration of CS-NAC and PEGDA. Thermogravimetric analysis showed the thermal stabilities of hydrogels. SEM observation results confirmed a porous 3D structure. Rheological studies showed that the cross-linking density and elasticity of hydrogel had a correlation to the content of CS-NAC and PEGDA. Swelling studies revealed that these hydrogels had a high initial swelling and were degradable under physiological conditions. And swelling was highly temperature-dependent and was directly related to the amount of cross-linking. Biological activities of the hydrogels were evaluated by in vitro cell compatibility on HDFs and A549 cells and the results indicated that the hydrogel was biocompatible.     

Novel metronidazole-loaded hydrogel as a gastroretentive drug delivery system

A metronidazole-loaded hydrogel was synthesized by free radical polymerization using dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) monomer and triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDA) and methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) as cross-linkers. The DMAEMA hydrogels were cross-linked with 5 and 10% MBA or with 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 4% TEGDA as cross-linking agents. Ammonium persulfate and tetramethyl ethylene diamine were used as initiator and catalyst, respectively. The prepared hydrogels were characterized, and the effect of cross-linking agent content on the swelling behavior and in vitro drug release of hydrogels was investigated. The results of X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies indicated that the prepared hydrogels possessed an amorphous morphology and there was not any interaction between the hydrogel polymers and metronidazole as drug, which resulted in the dependence of drug release on the physicochemical characteristics of hydrogel such as swelling, polymer erosion, and surface morphology. According to the results, the hydrogel containing 0.5% TEGDA which was prepared by freeze-drying method exhibited a porous structure with a high swelling ratio and displayed a sustained and complete drug release. It could be concluded that the hydrogel developed by this facile method is a good candidate with a potential for use in gastroretentive drug delivery systems.     

Fabrication and characterization of novel macroporous cellulose–alginate hydrogels

Novel macroporous hydrogels were prepared by blending of cellulose and sodium alginate (SA) solution, and then cross-linking with epichlorohydrin. The resulting cellulose/SA hydrogels were characterized by solid-state ¹³C NMR, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rheological measurement, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and swelling test to evaluate their structure, interior morphology, gelation time, compressive modulus, and equilibrium swelling ratio. Our findings revealed that the cellulose acted as backbone in the hydrogels, whereas SA contributed to the higher equilibrium swelling ratio. The combination of cellulose having semi-stiff chains and SA containing –COOH groups in the cross-linking hydrogel created the macroporous structure. This work provided a new pathway for preparation of hydrogel with large porous structure through incorporation of stiff polymer as support of pore wall and acidic polysaccharide as expander of pore size because of high water-absorbency.     

Fabrication of alginate/sericin/cellulose nanocrystals interpenetrating network composite hydrogels with enhanced physicochemical properties and biological activity

Sodium alginate (SA) possesses good biocompatibility and can form hydrogel materials under certain conditions, which has been widely used in tissue engineering. However, the absence of cellular recognition sites and low mechanical strength for single-component alginate (ALG) hydrogels limit their practical applications. Therefore, enhancing the shortcomings of ALG hydrogels and augmenting their characteristics hold immense importance for their medical uses. In this study, comprehensively considering the excellent properties of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and sericin (SS), the alginate/sericin/cellulose nanocrystalline (ALG/SS/CNCS) composite hydrogels were constructed by interpenetrating network (IPN) technique using hydroxyapatite/D-glucono-δ-lactone (HAP/GDL) as the endogenous ionic cross-linking agent of SA, 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) as the chemical covalent cross-linking agent of SS and CNCS as the reinforcing agent. The effects of SS and CNCs additions on the comprehensive properties of ALG/SS/CNCs composite hydrogels, such as their morphologies, structure, mechanical properties, swelling, degradability, and cytocompatibility were investigated. The findings indicated that the ALG/SS/CNCS IPN composite hydrogels which were created through the physical blending of SA and SS, displayed a consistent three-dimensional form and a porous configuration. The weak mechanical strength of pure ALG hydrogels can be effectively improved and the swelling stability and mechanical properties of the composite hydrogels can be enhanced through the construction of IPN network and the incorporation of CNCs, thanks to the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The biodegradability of ALG/SS/CNCS composite hydrogels increased as the SS content increased, indicating that SS facilitated their biomineralization due to its inherent susceptibility to degradation. The results of the cell compatibility test conducted in a laboratory setting showed that SS and CNCS had the ability to enhance the attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells on the ALG/SS/CNCS composite hydrogels. Hence, incorporating SS and CNCS into the alginate matrix to create IPN composite hydrogels could significantly enhance the physicochemical and biological characteristics of ALG hydrogels, thus rendering them appropriate for tissue engineering purposes.     

A Carbodiimide Cross-Linked Silk Fibroin/Sodium Alginate Composite Hydrogel with Tunable Properties for Sustained Drug Delivery

Carbodiimide cross-linked silk fibroin (SF)/sodium alginate (SA) composite hydrogels with superior stability and tunable properties are developed by varying preparation parameters. SF/SA blend ratio modulation allows to achieve composite hydrogel gelation times of 18–65 min, and rheological analysis shows that the speed of gel formation, the hydrogel network's density, and the hydrogels’ compressive properties are closely related to the blend ratio. The G′ of different hydrogels varies substantially from 28 to 413 Pa, and the hydrogel with higher SF content has a greater stiffness. The composite hydrogels present appropriate porosity of 76.63–85.09% and pore size of 316–603 µm. Hydrogel stability improves significantly after cross-linking, and substantial swelling occurs due to the hydrophilicity of SA. The 7/3 and 6/4 SF/SA hydrogels are more resistant to degradation in PBS, and cytotoxicity testing confirmed their biocompatibility. For release studies in vitro, two model compounds are used as drug models, tetracycline hydrochloride, and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Different ratios of SF/SA have a greater influence on the release of BSA. This study provides a practical preparation method for flexible SF/SA composite hydrogels, which can help design hydrogels with specific physicochemical properties for different applications, especially drug delivery.     

PVA/Fe2O3磁敏感性水凝胶的制备及性能

采用循环冷冻-解冻方法制备了聚乙烯醇(PVA)/Fe2O3磁敏感性水凝胶. 考察了水凝胶的力学性能、溶胀性能和磁敏感性,并用扫描电镜观察了其表面形貌. 结果表明,当Fe2O3含量为1%(w)时,水凝胶的力学性能最好;水凝胶的溶胀度和脱水率随时间增加有相似的变化趋势,都随磁性粒子含量升高而降低;溶胀性能降低其交联程度增加;PVA和Fe2O3相容性较好;水凝胶在3000 Oe的磁场强度下达到饱和,呈现出很强的顺磁性,磁滞损耗较多,表明具有较好的磁敏感性.     

Water sorption behavior of CMC/PAM hydrogels prepared by γ-irradiation and release of potassium nitrate as agrochemical

Novel types of highly swelling CMC/PAM hydrogels have been prepared by grafting cross-linked polyacrylamide (PAM) chains onto carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) via a free radical polymerization method using γ-irradiation. The prepared CMC/PAM hydrogels were characterized by FT-IR spectral analysis. The AM content and irradiation dose had a direct effect on gel content of CMC/PAM hydrogels and inverse effect on their swelling ratio. The hydrogels showed enormous swelling in aqueous medium and displayed swelling characteristics which were highly dependent on the chemical composition of the hydrogel, pH and ionic strength of the medium in which the hydrogel was immersed. The results were supported by morphological properties of CMC/PAM hydrogels by using SEM. The kinetics of water uptake and the water transport mechanism were studied as a function of the CMC/AM ratio into the prepared hydrogel. The release rate of potassium nitrate entrapped within the CMC/PAM matrix increased by enhancing its loading %, and decreased with lowering AM content and irradiation dose.     

A facile route to obtain an acidic hydrogel containing lactate moieties

The idea to develop hydrophilic lactic acid-based polyelectrolyte was presented. A facile route was utilized to prepare smart hydrogels that contained lactate units and carboxylic groups. The hydrogels were obtained through the radical cross-linking reaction between an unsaturated lactate-contained macromonomer and acrylic acid (AA)/itaconic acid (IA) monomer pair. The structure and performances of the hydrogels were characterized with thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, swelling tests and adsorption measurements. The equilibrium swelling ratios of the hydrogels in acidic (pH 3.6) and basic (pH 11.5) media reached 25.3 and 62.3 respectively. The pH-sensitive swelling behaviors of the hydrogel confirmed that the hydrogels contained carboxylic groups and they were hydrophilic. The metal ions including calcium, copper, lead and cerium ions were bound into the hydrogels, which also confirmed the existence of the carboxyl groups. Moreover, the swelling ratio and adsorption capacity of the gel prepared from monomer pair were significantly higher than those obtained in absence of IA, which suggested that the properties of the hydrogels could be controllable by simply adjusting the ratio of AA/IA. In addition, the weight loss percentage of the hydrogel was around 37% after two-week in vitro degradation, which indicated the hydrogel contained lactate units.     

pH敏感性P(AAm-co-AA)半互穿网络水凝胶的制备、表征及溶胀动力学研究

以N,N-亚甲基双丙烯酰胺(N,N-MBA)为交联剂、过硫酸钾(KPS)为引发剂,采用自由基交联共聚法合成了具有pH敏感性的半互穿网络水凝胶聚丙烯酰胺-co-丙烯酸[P(AAm-co-AA)],通过傅立叶红外光谱、差热分析研究了水凝胶的结构及热稳定性.水凝胶的溶胀研究表明,随着缓冲溶液pH值的增大平衡溶胀率增大;在不同...     

Dual-responsive shape memory hydrogels with self-healing and dual-responsive swelling behaviors

Shape memory hydrogels (SMHs) can fix the hydrogels in a provisional shape and restore the initial shape under external stimulation. Herein, a dual-responsive shape memory hydrogel with dual-responsive swelling and self-healing properties is presented in this work. The SMHs were fabricated by one-step emulsion copolymerization of acrylic acid (AAc), acrylamide (AAm) and stearyl methacrylate (SMA). Sodium alginate (SA) was introduced as an interpenetrating polymer in the network. With ionic cross-linking between -COO⁻ and Fe³⁺ or saline-reinforced hydrophobic association, the hydrogels can be fixed in a provisional shape, which can be restored by immersing the hydrogels in vitamin C solution or pure water, respectively. When the as-prepared hydrogels were immersed in FeCl₃ solutions, additional ionic cross-linking between Fe³⁺ and -COO⁻ could be formed, thus constructing the dual physically cross-linked (DPC) network, which endows the hydrogels with excellent fracture stress (2.6 MPa) and toughness (5.47 MJ/m³). Besides, the reversible physical cross-linkings endowed the hydrogel with outstanding self-healing capability. Furthermore, the pH and saline responsive swelling properties of the SMHs are additional fantastic properties. Therefore, we believe that this simple strategy provides a great opportunity for the preparation of SMHs with multiple intellectual performances.     

温度和pH双重敏感性P(DEA-co-DMAEMA)/Na2WO4水凝胶的合成与表征

以N,N-二乙基丙烯酰胺(DEA)和甲基丙烯酸二甲氨基乙酯(DMAEMA)为单体,N,N-亚甲基双丙烯酰胺(BIS)为交联剂,采用一锅法制备了温度和p H双重响应性P(DEA-co-DMAEMA)/Na_2WO_4水凝胶。考察了Na_2WO_4的引入对水凝胶的结构、温度和p H响应性能的影响。结果表明:复合水凝胶中除了化学交联外,还存在Na_2WO_4与聚合物间由于氢键和配位作用产生的物理交联;复合水凝胶的低临界相转变温度(LCST)随着Na_2WO_4质量分数的增加呈线性降低,当Na_2WO_4质量分数从0增至3%时,LCST由41.6℃降至34.4℃;复合水凝胶表现出双重p H响应性,即在酸性条件下溶胀,中性条件下溶胀率减小,碱性条件下溶胀率又升高。     

Preparation of a novel pH-sensitive hydrogel based on acrylic acid and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane for controlled drug release of theophylline

Hydrogels based on pH-sensitive polymers are of great interest as potential biomaterials for the controlled delivery of drug molecules. In this study, a novel pH-sensitive copolymer hydrogel based on acrylic acid (AA) monomer by free-radical solution polymerization were synthesized with organic–inorganic cross-linking agent of octavinyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OVPOSS). And its properties were compared with conventional hydrogels using N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as cross-linking agent. The copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra and differential scanning calorimetry. The morphology after swelling was presented by scanning electron microscopy. Swelling behaviors in different pH and potential applications in controlled drug delivery of the hydrogels were also examined. The results showed that both hydrogels were pH sensitive. However, as the addition of OVPOSS limited the movement of the molecular chain segment, the swelling ratio and the drug-release rate of theophylline in SGF decreased obviously when using OVPOSS as cross-linking agent, comparing with P(MBA-co-AA) hydrogels. The results in this study suggested that P(OVPOSS-co-AA) could serve as potential candidate for theophylline drug delivery.     

Release Dynamics of Brufen from a Drug-Loaded Polymer Hydrogel Containing Polyvinyl Alcohol, 2-Acrylamide-2-methylpropane Sulfonic Acid and Acrylamide

A novel AMPS-based hydrogel was synthesized, characterized, and its swelling and drug-release behaviour with brufen as model drug were studied in vitro. The results indicated that the swelling of the hydrogel is pH sensitive and follows the non-Fickian diffusion process. Swelling behaviour of brufen loaded and unloaded hydrogel was similar. The results of in-vitro drug release experiments showed that the hydrogel has sustained release properties and the release rate depends on the equilibrium swelling ratio of the hydrogels, pH of the release medium, and the solubility of the drug. It is believed that this hydrogel could be potentially used for localized drug delivery.     

Physicomechanical and antimicrobial characteristics of hydrogel based on poly(vinyl alcohol): Performance improvement via inclusion of chitosan-modified nanoclay

The effect of a chitosan-modified nanoclay (CMNC) on the physical, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels prepared by the electron beam irradiation method is reported in comparison with pristine nanoclay (PNC). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirm that the chitosan modification process of nanoclay led to an enhancement in the clay gallery spacing. The inclusion of nanoclays in the PVA matrix decreased the gel content while it increased the swelling degree of the hydrogels. Both PNC and CMNC played a role, depending on their amounts, in swelling of the hydrogel. The swelling kinetic studies revealed a diffusion-controlled swelling process. The diffusion coefficient of water molecules in hydrogels was decreased in the presence of PNC, while it increased with CMNC. Rheological investigations verified the influential role of nanoclays in decreasing the chemical crosslink density of the hydrogel. CMNC exhibited a higher reinforcing effect on hydrogel mechanical properties than PNC did, although the rheological analysis, in agreement with the XRD results, indicated a better dispersion of PNC in the PVA matrix. According to the antimicrobial tests, perfect inhibition of bacteria growth was obtained only for the hydrogels with CMNC. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47444.     

Removal of anionic dyes from aqueous solution using poly [N-vinyl pyrrolidone/2-(methacryloyloxyethyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride] superswelling hydrogels

Summary A superswelling poly [N-vinyl pyrrolidone/2-(methacryloyloxyethyl)trimethyl ammonium chloride], poly(NVP/METAC) hydrogels were prepared by free radical polymerization using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker. The hydrogels were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and their surface morphology was determined using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The influence of feed composition of both the monomers and crosslinker on equilibrium swelling and dye adsorption properties of the hydrogels were examined. The equilibrium swelling ratio and binding ratio of the hydrogel/dye systems greatly depends on the METAC and crosslinker concentration in the gels. The effects of pH of the medium and initial dye concentration on the adsorption were also studied. The binding ratio of the hydrogel/dye system increases in the following order: OR-II>RO-14>RO-13.     

Porous boron nitride nanofibers/PVA hydrogels with improved mechanical property and thermal stability

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel is a promising material possessing good chemical stability, high water absorption, excellent biocompatibility and biological aging resistant. However, the poor mechanical performance of PVA hydrogel limits its applications. Here we report the utilization of one-dimensional (1D) BN nanofibers (BNNFs) as nanofillers into PVA matrix to prepare a novel kind of BNNFs/PVA composite hydrogel via a cyclic freezing and thawing method. For comparison, the composite hydrogels using spherical BN nanoparticles i.e. BN nanospheres (BNNSs) as fillers were also prepared. The mechanical properties, thermal stabilities and swelling behaviors of the composite hydrogels were investigated in detail. Our study indicates that the mechanical properties of the hydrogels can be improved by adding of BNNFs. After loading of BNNFs into PVA with content of 0.5?wt%, the compressive strength of the composite hydrogel increases by 252% compared with that of pure PVA hydrogel. The tensile performance of BNNFs/PVA composite hydrogels has also been improved. Impressive 87.8% increases in tensile strengths can be obtained with 1?wt% BNNFs added. In addition, with the increase of BNNFs content, the thermal stability and the swelling ratio of hydrogels are increased gradually. The swelling ratio of hydrogel increases by 56.3% with only 1?wt% BNNFs added. In comparison, the improvement effects of the BNNS fillers on the mechanical strengths and swelling ratios are much weaker. The enhanced effects of BNNFs can be ascribed to the strong hydrogen bond interaction between BNNFs and PVA. The high aspect ratios of the nanofibers should also be took into account.     

Influence of Process Variables on the Physical Properties of Gelatin/SA/HYA Composite Hydrogels

A novel composite hydrogel based on gelatin, sodium alginate (SA) and hyaluronic acid (HYA) was fabricated by freeze-drying method using 1-ethyl-(3-3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) as a cross-linker. The effects of chemical cross-linking, including cross-linker content and cross-linking time, on the morphology, swelling ratio and compressive strength of the gelatin/SA/HYA hydrogel were investigated. The influence of pH value of the swelling medium on the swelling ratio of the gelatin/SA/HYA composite hydrogel was also studied. The results showed that the gelatin/SA/HYA composite hydrogel had a three-dimensional interconnected structure and the pore size decreased with increasing EDC concentration. The IR absorption peak intensity of the gelatin/SA/HYA hydrogel has no obvious variety with increasing EDC content. The swelling ratio of the gelatin/SA/HYA hydrogel decreased with increasing cross-linker content and cross-linking time; however, the compressive strength increased with increasing EDC content and cross-linking time. The hydrogel swelling peak reached at pH 7. Therefore, the architecture and the physical properties of the gelatin/SA/HYA composite hydrogel can be adjusted by controlling the chemical cross-linking conditions and pH value of swelling medium.