Multifunctional modified chitosan hydrogel with excellent comprehensive properties by one pot.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Traditional multifunctional hydrogels require complex multi-step syntheses.
• A facile, aqueous-based, one-pot method is needed for efficient hydrogel preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple and efficient method for preparing multifunctional hydrogels.
• To characterize the properties and potential applications of the synthesized hydrogel.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized chitosan-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (CS-DHB) hydrogel using chitosan (CS) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (DHB) via a one-pot Schiff base reaction.
• Utilized aluminum chloride hexahydrate (AlCl3·6H2O) as a crosslinking agent.
• Characterized hydrogel structure (SEM), swelling, adhesion strength, gelation time, mechanical properties (rheology), degradation, antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), antibacterial efficacy (S. aureus, E. coli), cytocompatibility, and hemocompatibility.

Main Results:

• SEM revealed interconnected pores, supporting swelling properties.
• Achieved high adhesion strength (80.2 kPa) and rapid in-situ gelation (<60 s).
• Demonstrated a stable network structure (G' > G'') and >80% degradation over 17 days.
• Exhibited excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties (90% against S. aureus, 98% against E. coli).
• Showcased good cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility.

Conclusions:

• The one-pot synthesis provides a facile and efficient route to multifunctional CS-DHB hydrogels.
• The hydrogel possesses desirable properties including strong adhesion, rapid gelation, stability, degradation, potent antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and biocompatibility.
• This CS-DHB hydrogel is a promising candidate for biomedical and other advanced applications.