PAM/GelMA Hydrogel Scaffolds with Three-Level-Diameter Pores Fabricated via the Pickering HIPE Template Method for
Kexin Li1, Shuwei Qiao2, Jing Yan1
1State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China.
Abstract:
The development of biomaterials with exceptional properties is crucial for achieving effective reconstruction in bone defect repair. Scaffold materials featuring porous structures possess the capability to promote cell-material interactions, and this capacity significantly enhances the efficacy of bone tissue repair. This study reports on the hydrophobic surface modification of 500 nm SiO2 nanoparticles by hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) to obtain modified nanoparticles with uniform size. A porous hydrogel with a three-level pore structure was prepared using the nanoparticles to synergistically stabilize the Pickering high internal phase emulsion while regulating the amount of nanoparticles added (2-30%). The hydrogel exhibited an interconnected open-porous structure with the pore-throat size varying with the nanoparticle addition (maximum pore throat 6.64 ± 1.05 μm), and the 500 nm convex or concave morphology was uniformly distributed on the surface of the pore in the hydrogel matrix. The material demonstrated mechanical robustness with a maximum modulus of 64.6 kPa, and the material retention rate was 50-60% over 40 days. Meanwhile, the hydrogel displayed excellent cytocompatibility with no observed in vivo toxicity and promoted cell proliferation. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of alkaline phosphatase, alizarin red staining, and expression tests of osteogenesis-related transcription factors demonstrated that the synthesized porous hydrogel has potential applications in bone defect repair.
