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Updated: Oct 19, 2025
Preparation of Chitosan-based Injectable Hydrogels and Its Application in 3D Cell Culture
Published on: September 29, 2017
Rapid self-healing and self-adhesive chitosan-based hydrogels by host-guest interaction and dynamic covalent bond as
Zhijun Ren1, Tao Ke1, Qiangjun Ling1
1Key Laboratory of Leather Chemistry and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China; National Engineering Research Center of Clean Technology in Leather Industry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
Abstract:
A sensor used to monitor tissue deformation requires good flexibility, stretchability, self-adhesion, cyto-compatibility, and antibacterial property. Here, we prepared hydrogel sensor based on O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMCS) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) for monitoring human and organ motions. Based on the host-guest complexing of poly(β-cyclodextrin) with diamantane, a cross-linker containing multiple aldehyde groups was prepared for cross-linking with O-CMCS through Schiff base linkages. Borax was used as the second cross-linker to cross-link PVA through dynamic borate ester bonds. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were added into the hydrogels to improve their electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. The obtained hydrogel exhibited rapid self-healing ability with healing efficiency as high as 97%-103% (in 15 s), good adhesion to human skin and wet organ, good antibacterial property, cyto-compatibility, and stretchability. Furthermore, the hydrogel sensor can monitor the respiratory movement of porcine lungs and the beating of rat hearts.
