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Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
Injectable nanocellulose-based polylipoic acid hydrogels with tunable rheology, strong adhesion and multifunctional
Yuting Zhang1, Mingyue Sun1, Penghao Sun2
1State Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Key Lab. of Chemical Engineering of Forest Products, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Nanjing, 210042, China.
Researchers developed new nanocellulose-based hydrogels with excellent injectability, adhesion, and antibacterial properties. These dynamic hydrogels show promise for transdermal drug delivery and other biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Developing injectable hydrogels with tissue adhesion, rheological properties, and bioactivity is challenging.
- Existing hydrogels often lack a combination of injectability, adhesion, and bioactivity for biomedical uses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize novel nanocellulose-based dynamic hydrogels.
- To integrate dopamine-grafted cellulose nanofibers (DCNF) with polylipoic acid (PTA) for enhanced properties.
- To evaluate the hydrogels' injectability, adhesion, rheology, bioactivity, and biocompatibility for biomedical applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized DCNF by grafting dopamine onto cellulose nanofibers.
- Formulated DCNF/PTA hydrogels by integrating DCNF with PTA.
- Characterized hydrogel properties including rheology, injectability, adhesion, and network recovery.
- Assessed antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli, antioxidant capacity, and in vitro biocompatibility (hemolysis and cytocompatibility).
Main Results:
- The DCNF/PTA hydrogels exhibited excellent injectability, shear-thinning behavior, and rapid network recovery.
- Achieved robust and repeatable adhesion on various substrates.
- Demonstrated effective antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli.
- Showcased pronounced antioxidant capacity and good biocompatibility confirmed by in vitro assays.
Conclusions:
- A novel nanocellulose-centered strategy was developed for constructing injectable, adhesive, and bioactive hydrogels.
- The DCNF/PTA hydrogels possess promising handling performance for transdermal drug delivery and other biomedical applications.
- This approach offers a versatile platform for advanced biomaterial development.
