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Updated: Oct 25, 2025
Preparation of Biopolymer Aerogels Using Green Solvents
Published on: July 4, 2016
Simple ultrasonic-assisted approach to prepare polysaccharide-based aerogel for cell research and histocompatibility
Xinyu Hu1, Yongmei Wang2, Liangliang Zhang2
1Institute of Chemical Industry of Forestry Products, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210042, China; Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210042, China; Key Lab. of Chemical Engineering of Forest Products, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100714, China; National Engineering Lab. for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Nanjing 210042, China.
Abstract:
Salecan, a water-soluble microbial polysaccharide with attractive biocompatible characteristics, is very suitable for aerogel fabrication. However, the practical application of salecan-based aerogels for cell culture was limited by complicated preparation method, lack of cell anchorage signals, and the ability to modulate this properly. Here, a smart aerogel was designed by ultrasonic-assisted self-assembly of salecan and cationic starch (CAS) without any organic and toxic crosslinkers. The ultrasound waves generated a marked impact on self-assemble process by means of ultrasonic cavitation. Aerogel network was produced by strong electrostatic attractions between the polysaccharides. Especially, salecan/CAS ratio can be precisely modulated to tailor the hydrophilicity, mechanical stiffness, and morphologic property. The specific surface area of the aerogels gradually increased with the increase in salecan/CAS ratio. These aerogels were non-cytotoxic, and the incorporation of salecan into them promoted cell-matrix interactions by directionally supporting cell adhesion and proliferation. Most strikingly, in vivo experiment revealed that the histological features in the main organs of the mice were similar to those observed in the PBS-treated control group, and no sign of the histopathological abnormality or tissue destruction was observed, indicating the excellent histocompatibility of the aerogels. This study offered a new and powerful avenue to fabricate functional biomaterial.
