Alginate-Based Bio-Composites and Their Potential Applications

Abstract

Over the last two decades, bio-polymer fibers have attracted attention for their uses in gene therapy, tissue engineering, wound-healing, and controlled drug delivery. The most commonly used bio-polymers are bio-sourced synthetic polymers such as poly (glycolic acid), poly (lactic acid), poly (e-caprolactone), copolymers of polyglycolide and poly (3-hydroxybutyrate), and natural polymers such as chitosan, soy protein, and alginate. Among all of the bio-polymer fibers, alginate is endowed with its ease of sol–gel transformation, remarkable ion exchange properties, and acid stability. Blending alginate fibers with a wide range of other materials has certainly opened many new opportunities for applications. This paper presents an overview on the modification of alginate fibers with nano-particles, adhesive peptides, and natural or synthetic polymers, in order to enhance their properties. The application of alginate fibers in several areas such as cosmetics, sensors, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and water treatment are investigated. The first section is a brief theoretical background regarding the definition, the source, and the structure of alginate. The second part deals with the physico-chemical, structural, and biological properties of alginate bio-polymers. The third part presents the spinning techniques and the effects of the process and solution parameters on the thermo-mechanical and physico-chemical properties of alginate fibers. Then, the fourth part presents the additives used as fillers in order to improve the properties of alginate fibers. Finally, the last section covers the practical applications of alginate composite fibers.

Alginate-Based Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

“…In this context, chelating with divalent cations (Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , etc.) is the easiest and most cost-effective way to fabricate alginate hydrogels from an aqueous solution under mild conditions [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”

“…These methods include but are not limited to the controlled gelification, spray drying, electrospinning/electro-spraying, ionotropic gelation, thermally-induced phase separation, microfluidics-aided polyelectrolyte complexation, etc. [ 17 , 27 , 28 , 30 ].…”

Alginate Ag/AgCl Nanoparticles Composite Films for Wound Dressings with Antibiofilm and Antimicrobial Activities

“…Of note, alginate can be tailored as a material with properties suitable for wound healing such as the ability to absorb excess exudates, maintaining a physiologically moist environment, and minimizing wound bacterial infections. Moreover, alginate hydrogels can incorporate silver nanoparticles to obtain wound dressings joining both the previously mentioned polymer characteristics with the silver antimicrobial effects [ 21 , 22 ]. Alginate films containing silver nanoparticles supported on pyrogenic silica have been described as potentially innovative wound dressings characterized by antimicrobial activity and lack of cytotoxic effects against fibroblasts and keratinocytes [ 6 ].…”

Mechanical properties, thermal stability, and thermal degradation kinetics of silicone rubber/ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer/magnesium sulfate whisker composites compatibilized by ethylene‐acrylic acid copolymer

“…However, its extreme temperature properties are inferior to those of silicone rubber 4 . The development of polymer blends is an easy and cost‐effective strategy to achieve desired properties 5,6 . The polymer blends have better properties than individual components 7 .…”

“…4 The development of polymer blends is an easy and cost-effective strategy to achieve desired properties. 5,6 The polymer blends have better properties than individual components. 7 However, silicone rubber and ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber (EVM) are incompatible due to their chemical structure differences.…”