Physicochemical Properties of Cellulose-Based Hydrogel for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Hydrogels are three-dimensional network structures of hydrophilic polymers, which have the capacity to take up an enormous amount of fluid/water. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is a commercially available cellulose derivative that can be used for biomedical applications due to its biocompatibility. It has been used as a major component to fabricate hydrogels because of its superabsorbent nature. In this study, we developed carboxylic acid crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogels for biomedical applications. The physicochemical, morphological, and thermal properties were analyzed to confirm the crosslinking of carboxymethyl cellulose. Fourier-transform infrared spectra confirmed the crosslinking of carboxymethyl cellulose with the presence of peaks due to an esterification reaction. The distinct peak at 1718 cm−1 in hydrogel samples is due to the carbonyl group vibrations of the ester bond from the crosslinking reaction. The total carboxyl content of the sample was measured with crosslinker immersion time. The swelling of crosslinked hydrogels showed an excellent swelling capacity for CG02 that is much higher than CG01 in water and PBS. Morphological analysis of the hydrogel showed it has a rough surface. The thermal degradation of hydrogel showed stability with respect to temperature. However, the mechanical analysis showed that CG01 has a higher compressive strength than CG01. The optimum swelling ratio and higher compressive strength of CG01 hydrogels could give them the ability to be used in load-bearing tissue regeneration. These results inferred that the carboxylic acid crosslinked CMC hydrogels could be a suitable matrix for biomedical or tissue-engineering applications with improved stability.

Enhanced Superabsorbency of Cellulose-Based Hydrogels in NaOH Solution: Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance Evaluation

“…This ionization leads to increased electrostatic repulsion, resulting in larger swelling of the hydrogel. This outcome is consistent with Sreeja et al's findings, which compared the CMC hydrogel's ability to swell in distilled water and PBS solution [37].…”

“…The mechanical properties of the hydrogel were examined to assess its structural integrity. Mechanical stability is essential to materials, particularly those intended for biomedical applications [37]. The NaOH concentration influences the mechanical properties of the cellulose based hydrogels.…”

“…The compressive strength increases with higher NaOH fractions, although the difference is insignificant. The higher compressive strength indicates the presence of stronger cross-linking or connections between the polymer networks and due to higher crosslinking density [37], [44]. Young's modulus was analyzed from the slope of the stress-strain curve in Figure 6.…”

“…Fracture in hydrogels occurs after reaching a particular strain, as shown in Figure 6. The strain at maximum stress represents where the fracture occurs in the hydrogel [37]. Hydrogel CN1 experiences maximum stress at 127.99% strain, while CN5 experiences failure at 106.23%.…”

Preparation of hydrogels with self-reinforced mechanical properties using ball-milled microcrystalline cellulose and regenerated cellulose from deep eutectic solvent

“…[6][7][8] Furthermore, different from natural cellulose, the supramolecular structure and molecular weight of regenerated cellulose, which are influenced by the preparation process, also improve the properties of cellulose-based materials subsequently. 9,10 Based on the above benefits, researchers have proposed using regenerated cellulose (RC) to prepare structurally controllable, functionally adjustable, high-strength, and hightoughness cellulose hydrogels. 11,12 However, cellulose is difficult to dissolve in water and conventional organic solvents due to its high crystallinity and dense hydrogen bonding network.…”