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High strength pure chitosan hydrogels via double crosslinking strategy
Lei Huang1,2, Yun Chu1,2, Lulu Zhang1,2
1School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China.
Biomedical Materials (Bristol, England)
|May 26, 2021
Summary
This study developed advanced chitosan (CS) hydrogels with significantly enhanced mechanical properties through double crosslinking. These novel CS hydrogels show excellent biocompatibility, indicating great potential for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Chitosan (CS) hydrogels are widely utilized in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
- There is a need for advanced CS materials with improved mechanical and topographical properties for broader applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize a double crosslinked pure CS hydrogel with superior mechanical strength and toughness.
- To investigate the crosslinking mechanisms and evaluate the material's biocompatibility for potential use in tissue engineering.
Main Methods:
- Double crosslinking of pure chitosan via chemical covalent network, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and CS crystallite formation.
- Characterization of mechanical properties including fracture energy, compression stress, and elastic modulus.
- Assessment of chemical modification using 1H NMR and FT-IR; analysis of physical interactions using Raman spectra and WXRD.
- Evaluation of cell viability and proliferation (MSCs) on CS hydrogels using live/death assays and CCK-8.
Main Results:
- The double crosslinked CS hydrogel exhibited a two-order-of-magnitude increase in strength and toughness (fracture energy ~7.733 J m-2; maximal compression stress ~10.81 MPa).
- Spectroscopic and crystallographic analyses confirmed successful chemical modification and the presence of physical interactions contributing to mechanical enhancement.
- Chitosan hydrogels demonstrated good biocompatibility, supporting mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) growth with low cytotoxicity.
Conclusions:
- A novel double crosslinking strategy significantly enhances the mechanical properties of pure chitosan hydrogels.
- The developed CS hydrogels possess excellent biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for advanced applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
