Studies on the Impact of the Photoinitiator Amount Used during the PVP-Based Hydrogels’ Synthesis on Their Physicochemical Properties

Abstract

In recent times, a great interest is directed to developing biomaterials incorporated with various therapeutical substances which may enhance them with new properties and thus increase their application potential. In this work, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-based hydrogels modified with Aloe vera juice and vitamin C and differing in the amount of the photoinitiator used during their synthesis were developed. Analysis of hydrogels included characterization of their chemical structure via FT-IR spectroscopy, sorption properties, wettability, surface morphology, behavior in simulated physiological liquids and mechanical properties. Finally, hydrogels’ cytotoxicity towards L929 murine fibroblasts using MTT reduction assay was additionally verified. It was demonstrated that as the amount of the photoinitiator used during the synthesis of hydrogels increased, the smoother their surface and the higher their hydrophilicity. Next, the greater the amount of the photoinitiator, the lower is the percentage elongation of the hydrogel and the greater the hardness. In turn, the swelling ability of hydrogels depended strongly on the type of the absorbed liquid—swelling ratios of samples in distilled water were 24% higher than in SBF, 18% higher than in Ringer liquid, and 32% higher than in hemoglobin wherein the amount of the photoinitiator did not affect this property. Additionally, hydrogels were stable and did not degrade in simulated physiological liquids. The only changes in pH of the incubation media were probably caused by the active substances release from hydrogels which was also confirmed via a lesser intensity of the absorption band on FT-IR spectra corresponding to the functional group occurring in compounds included in Aloe vera juice. Importantly, the viability of fibroblasts incubated with developed materials was at least 86%. Thus the hydrogels, due to their properties, seem to show application potential to be used for biomedical purposes, e.g., as innovative dressing materials.

Verification of the Influence of the 2-Hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone (Photoinitiator) Content in Hydrogel Materials on Their Physicochemical Properties and Surface Morphology

“…The main aim of this research was to verify the influence of 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone (photoinitiator) content on the physicochemical properties of hydrogels, as well as on their surface morphology. The impact of the photoinitiator on the hydrogels' properties was verified in our previous work [19]; however, as part of this current work, the materials were prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone with M n = 10,000 g/mol (not 58,000 g/mol as in our previous work), and they have been investigated. The experimental part of this presented work included characterizing the hydrogels' swelling capacity, wettability, and mechanical properties (the tensile strength and the percentage of elongation).…”

Current status and progress in research on dressing management for diabetic foot ulcer

“…Scholars have focused considerable attention on the auxiliary effects of light, heat, and electricity in dressing applications in recent years ( 204 ). Multicolor light irradiation in the near infrared region (NIR) is most commonly reported.…”

Synthesis and Characterisation of PVP-AAm Hydrogels via Hybrid Process: Morphological, Physical, and Antibacterial Activity

“…Poly (PVP/acrylamide/glycerol/bentonite clay) hydrogel films were synthesized via gamma radiation (Gad et al, 2021). In another study, aloe vera juice and vitamin C loaded PVP hydrogels have been produced by photopolymerization for biomedical purposes (Kędzierska et al, 2022). Nanocomposite hydrogels based-acrylamide-polyvinyl pyrrolidone containing metal oxide (CuO and ZnO) synthesized by Owonubi et al (2021).…”