Bioactive binary Schiff-base hydrogel from chitosan and functional PEGylated dialdehydes: Synthesis and
Zesheng Song1, Xun Wang1, Bingrong Liu2
1School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
Carbohydrate Polymers
|October 21, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed novel bioactive hydrogels from functionalized polyethylene glycol (PEG) and chitosan (CS) for infected wound healing. These Schiff-base hydrogels offer rapid gelation, self-healing, and antibacterial properties, with tailored performance for specific biomedical needs.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Bioactive hydrogels are essential for managing infected wounds due to their gelation, mechanical strength, and antibacterial properties.
- Developing advanced hydrogels with tailored functionalities is crucial for improving wound healing outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel Schiff-base self-healing hydrogels using functionalized polyethylene glycol (PEG) dialdehydes and chitosan (CS).
- To evaluate the biocompatibility, mechanical properties, antimicrobial activity, hemostasis, self-healing, and specific therapeutic performances of the developed hydrogels for infected wound management.
Main Methods:
- Three functional PEGylated dialdehydes (SY-PEG, GA-PEG, IM-PEG) were synthesized and cross-linked with chitosan (CS) to form Schiff-base hydrogels.
- Characterization included assessments of gelation time, mechanical strength (tensile, compressive), swelling rate, tissue adhesion, antioxidant capacity (DPPH assay), antimicrobial activity, and in vitro infected wound healing efficiency.
Main Results:
- All synthesized hydrogels (SY-PEG/CS, GA-PEG/CS, IM-PEG/CS) exhibited good biocompatibility, strong antimicrobial activity (>95%), rapid hemostasis (<100 s), and self-healing properties.
- SY-PEG/CS showed rapid gelling (29.3 s) and high antioxidant capacity (81.6%).
- GA-PEG/CS demonstrated superior swelling (170.5%), mechanical strength (80.3 kPa tensile, 1595 kPa compressive), and wound healing efficiency (82.0% in 7 days).
- IM-PEG/CS exhibited the highest tissue adhesion strength (233 kPa).
Conclusions:
- Customizing functional PEGylated dialdehydes allows for the creation of Schiff-base hydrogels with tunable properties for specific biomedical applications.
- These functional hydrogels show significant potential for effective infected wound management, offering a versatile platform for advanced therapies.
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