Controllable Construction of Temperature-Sensitive Supramolecular Hydrogel Based on Cellulose and Cyclodextrin
Jiayin Wu1,2, Qilin Lu1, Hanchen Wang1,2
1Fujian Key Laboratory of Novel Functional Textile Fibers and Materials, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China.
Polymers
|September 23, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed a novel cellulose-based supramolecular hydrogel using beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and polypropylene glycol (PPG). This temperature-sensitive material exhibits a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 34°C, showing promise for smart material applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Biomaterials Engineering
Background:
- Temperature-sensitive hydrogels change properties with temperature, enabling applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and separation.
- Cellulose and beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) offer unique properties for advanced material development.
- Host-guest interactions, like those between β-CD and polypropylene glycol (PPG), are key to designing functional supramolecular structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize a novel cellulose-based supramolecular hydrogel with enhanced temperature sensitivity.
- To investigate the formation mechanism and structural characteristics of the hydrogel.
- To evaluate the potential of the developed hydrogel as a smart material.
Main Methods:
- A one-pot tandem reaction was employed to simultaneously graft β-CD onto cellulose and form inclusion complexes with PPG in a NaOH/urea/water system.
- The synthesized hydrogel was characterized for its thermal responsiveness, specifically its lower critical solution temperature (LCST).
- Structural analysis confirmed the presence of covalent bonding, host-guest complexation, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions.
Main Results:
- A cellulose-based supramolecular hydrogel with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 34 °C was successfully synthesized.
- The hydrogel network comprises covalent bonds (cellulose-β-CD), host-guest complexation (β-CD-PPG), and hydrogen/hydrophobic interactions.
- The material demonstrated stable network structure, good thermal stability, and sensitive temperature responsiveness.
Conclusions:
- The developed supramolecular hydrogel exhibits significant temperature sensitivity due to its composite bonding network.
- This material holds potential for applications in medicine, biology, and textiles as a smart material.
- The study presents a new strategy for fabricating cellulose-based thermosensitive materials, promoting high-value cellulose utilization.
