Hyperbranched poly(glycidol)/poly(ethylene oxide) crosslinked hydrogel for tissue engineering scaffold using e-beams

A microporous hydrogel scaffold was developed from hyperbranched poly(glycidol) (HPG) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) using electron beam (e-beam) induced cross-linking for tissue engineering applications. In this study, HPG was synthesized from glycidol using trimethylol propane as a core initiator and cross-linked hydrogels were made using 0, 10, 20, and 30% HPG with respect to PEO. The effects of %-HPG on the swelling ratio, cross-linking density, mechanical properties, morphology, degradation, and cytotoxicity of the hydrogel scaffolds were then investigated. Increasing the HPG content increased the pore size of the hydrogel scaffold, as well as the porosity, elongation at break, degree of degradation and swelling ratio. In contrast, the presence of HPG decreased the cross-linking density of the hydrogel. There was no significant difference in compressive modulus and tensile strength of all compositions. The pore size of hydrogel scaffolds could be easily tailored by controlling the content of HPG in the polymer blend. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity demonstrated that HPG/PEO hydrogel scaffold has potential for use as a matrix for cellular attachment and proliferation. These results indicate that cross-linked HPG/PEO hydrogel can function as a potential material for tissue engineering scaffolds. Moreover, a facile method to prepare hydrogel microporous scaffolds for tissue engineering by e-beam irradiation was developed.