Microwave‐Assisted Hydrogel Synthesis: A New Method for Crosslinking Polymers in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

It has been found that hydrogels may be formed by microwave irradiation of aqueous solutions containing appropriate combinations of polymers. This new method of hydrogel synthesis yields sterile hydrogels without the use of monomers, eliminating the need for the removal of unreacted species from the final product. Results for two particularly successful combinations, poly(vinyl alcohol) with either poly(acrylic acid) or poly(methylvinylether-alt-maleic anhydride), are presented. Irradiation using temperatures of 100-150 °C was found to yield hydrogels with large equilibrium swelling degrees of 500-1000 g g(-1) . Material leached from both types of hydrogel shows little cytotoxicity towards HT29 cells.

Microwave-assisted synthesis and click chemistry as simple and efficient strategy for RGD functionalized hydrogels

“…This method of synthesis yields sterile hydrogels without the use of monomers, initiator and eliminating the need for removal of unreacted species. Although the main benefit of microwave-assisted polymer synthesis is reduced reaction time, absent of organic solvent and limitation of side reaction 16,17 . To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of the use of microwave to form RGD functionalized hydrogel.…”

Advances in the Fabrication of Antimicrobial Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

“…In this case, instead of using monomers, a preformed water-soluble polymer is crosslinked using, among others, γ-irradiation, X-ray, UV-light or heat. For instance, Khutoryanskiy et al [17] described a method to fabricate hydrogels from water-soluble polymers (poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride) and poly(vinyl alcohol)) in aqueous solutions. To carry out the crosslinking process, they proposed the use of either thermal treatment or microwave irradiation.…”

Redox- and glucose-responsive hydrogels from poly(vinyl alcohol) and 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid

“…2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate and 2-hydroxyethylacrylate) [7] or through cross-linking of ready-made water-soluble polymers using ionizing radiation [8,9], thermal treatment [10], or reactive low or high molecular weight cross-linkers (e.g. glutaraldehyde) [11].…”