Synthesis and characterization of new honey incorporated double-network hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and acylated chitosan

Engineering biomimetic scaffolds for bone regeneration: Chitosan/alginate/polyvinyl alcohol-based double-network hydrogels with carbon nanomaterials

In this study, new types of hybrid double-network (DN) hydrogels composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan (CH), and sodium alginate (SA) are introduced, with the hypothesis that this combination and incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) will enhance osteogenetic differentiation and the structural and mechanical properties of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Initially, the impact of varying mass ratios of the PVA/CH/SA mixture on mechanical properties, swelling ratio, and degradability was examined. Based on this investigation, a mass ratio of 4:6:6 was determined to be optimal. At this ratio, the hydrogel demonstrated a Young's modulus of 47.5 ± 5 kPa, a swelling ratio of 680 ± 6 % after 3 h, and a degradation rate of 46.5 ± 5 % after 40 days. In the next phase, following the determination of the optimal mass ratio, CNTs and GNPs were incorporated into the 4:6:6 composite resulting in a significant enhancement in the electrical conductivity and stiffness of the scaffolds. The introduction of CNTs led to a notable increase of 36 % in the viability of MG63 osteoblast cells. Additionally, the inhibition zone test revealed that GNPs and CNTs increased the diameter of the inhibition zone by 49.6 % and 52.6 %, respectively.

Incorporation of natural and synthetic polymers into honey hydrogel for wound healing: A review

Background and Aims

The difficulty in treating chronic wounds due to the prolonged inflammation stage has affected a staggering 6.5 million people, accompanied by 25 billion USD annually in the United States alone. A 1.9% rise in chronic wound prevalence among Medicare beneficiaries was reported from 2014 to 2019. Besides, the global wound care market values were anticipated to increase from USD 20.18 billion in 2022 to USD 30.52 billion in 2030, suggesting an expected rise in chronic wounds financial burdens. The lack of feasibility in using traditional dry wound dressings sparks hydrogel development as an alternative approach to tackling chronic wounds. Since ancient times, honey has been used to treat wounds, including burns, and ongoing studies have also demonstrated its wound-healing capabilities on cellular and animal models. However, the fluidity and low mechanical strength in honey hydrogel necessitate the incorporation of other polymers. Therefore, this review aims to unravel the characteristics and feasibility of natural (chitosan and gelatin) and synthetic (polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol) polymers to be incorporated in the honey hydrogel.

Methods

Relevant articles were identified from databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct) using keywords related to honey, hydrogel, and polymers. Relevant data from selected studies were synthesized narratively and reported following a structured narrative format.

Results

The importance of honey's roles and mechanisms of action in wound dressings were discussed. Notable studies concerning honey hydrogels with diverse polymers were also included in this article to provide a better perspective on fabricating customized hydrogel wound dressings for various types of wounds in the future.

Conclusion

Honey's incapability to stand alone in hydrogel requires the incorporation of natural and synthetic polymers into the hydrogel. With this review, it is hoped that the fabrication and commercialization of the desired honey composite hydrogel for wound treatment could be brought forth.

One-step preparation of hydrogel based on different molecular weights of chitosan with citric acid

BACKGROUND

Chitosan-based hydrogels have been prepared previously by a two-step protocol in which chitosan was first dissolved in dilute acetic acid and then crosslinked by glutaraldehyde or genipin. This was a time-consuming method, which had the disadvantages of high costs and biological safety problems.

RESULTS

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results verified the successful preparation of hydrogels based on high, medium, and low molecular-weight chitosan (HCS, MCS, and LCS), respectively. The hydrogels prepared with HCS, MCS, and LCS were formed through the accumulation of different-sized crystals. The framework density of the hydrogel was enhanced by an increase in the chitosan molecular weight and exhibited a crack pore pattern composed of flake particles. Medium molecular-weight chitosan-based hydrogel exhibited the highest specific surface area and total pore volume, with values of 3.81 m² g^-1 and 0.0109 cm³ g^-1 , respectively. The water absorption rate of the chitosan based hydrogels was influenced by its molecular weights at the sequence of LCS > HCS > MCS, while the maximum compression stress was affected at the sequence of HCS > MCS > LCS. The network structure was enhanced with an increase in the chitosan molecular weight and reached maximum stress levels of 4.50, 1.50 and 0.75 MPa for HCS-, MCS-, and LCS-based hydrogels, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Citric acid was shown to be an effective dissolving and crosslinking agent in the preparation of MCS- and HCS-based hydrogels. The physiochemical properties of the hydrogels were enhanced as the molecular weight of the chitosan increased. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Robust versatile nanocellulose/polyvinyl alcohol/carbon dot hydrogels for biomechanical sensing

A new type of nanocellulose/poly(vinyl alcohol)/carbon dot (NPC) multifunctional hydrogel was successfully fabricated by an one-step in-situ hydrothermal method. The one-pot strategy led to the formation of a complex hydrogen bonding/dynamic boric acid ester/nitrogen-doped carbon dots network, and endowed the hydrogel with multifunctionality. The hydrogel underwent self-healing at room temperature (25 °C) and exhibited double-emission fluorescence and high mechanical strength (tensile strength of up to 2.98 MPa). An NPC hydrogel-based capacitive sensor exhibited remarkable linear capacitance responsiveness toward pressure, strain, and glucose concentration, and enabled real-time synchronous quantitative pressure/glucose sensing with multiple linear correlations, which was a key performance criteria for biomechanical sensors. The versatility and multiple advantages of the as-prepared hydrogel demonstrate the potential of biological-mechanical sensing materials using natural cellulosic biomass.

Crucial roles of graphene oxide in preparing alginate/nanofibrillated cellulose double network composites hydrogels

In this study, a novel strategy to prepare sodium alginate (SA)/nano fibrillated cellulose (NFC) double network (DN) hydrogel beads with the aid of graphene oxide (GO) was developed. In comparison with the multi-step freezing-thawing method, this study employs a facile one-step freeze drying method with the presence of GO sheets. The crucial roles of GO were highlighted as an efficient nucleating agent of NFC and a reinforcer for the hydrogel. The adsorption property of the DN hydrogel towards crystal violet (CV) was also studied. Results indicated that the introduction of GO could greatly facilitate the formation of double networks. Furthermore, the as-prepared DN hydrogel beads exhibited an efficacious adsorption property towards CV. The maximum adsorption capacity of the hydrogels for CV was observed as 665 mg g^-1. Therefore, our approach here represents a facile method for the preparation of crystalline polymer based DN hydrogels to replace the awkward freezing-thawing process, giving inspiration for DN hydrogels design and preparation. Moreover, due to its efficient adsorption capacity, the hydrogels hold great promise for the water pollution control materials.