The influence of molecular weight of cellulose on the properties of carboxylic acid crosslinked cellulose hydrogels for biomedical and environmental applications

Exploring Applications and Preparation Techniques for Cellulose Hydrogels: A Comprehensive Review

“…Swelling kinetics, which describe the hydrogel’s water absorption rate, are crucial for applications requiring rapid hydration, such as agricultural hydrogels [ 68 ] or medical dressings [ 48 ]. For example, in wound healing hydrogels, a slightly acidic pH (close to skin’s pH of 5.5) and lower temperatures help ensure bio-compatibility and sufficient mechanical strength [ 69 ]. Adjusting these factors optimizes hydrogel properties like mechanical strength, pore size, degradation rates, and swelling behavior, crucial for diverse applications from drug delivery to tissue scaffolds.…”

“…The mechanical properties of cellulose hydrogels are critical in a variety of applications [ 100 , 101 , 102 ], particularly in biomedical [ 103 ] and engineering [ 69 ] applications where materials must exhibit specific strengths and elasticity. Mechanical properties are evaluated using methods such as compression [ 104 ], tension, and shear characterization.…”

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

“…6–8 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 high-toughness 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.…”