Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma-Assisted Preparation of Chitosan-Based Hydrogels

Chitosan is widely used in the production of various hydrogels due to its non-biological toxicity, good biocompatibility, and strong biodegradability. However, chitosan-based hydrogels have not been widely used in tissue engineering due to their poor mechanical strength, poor stability and high biotoxicity of cross-linking agents. As a green technology, low temperature plasma is rich in active groups that can be involved in various chemical reactions, such as replacing the components on the chitosan chain, contributing to the cross-linking of chitosan. In this study, a plasma-assisted preparation method of chitosan-based hydrogels was developed and the properties, including mechanics, water absorption, and degradation (or stability), were characterized and analyzed. It is proved that plasma treatment plays a significant role in improving the mechanical strength and stability of hydrogels.