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Lookup NU author(s): Meng Pan, Dr Oana Bretcanu, Professor Katarina NovakovicORCiD
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Chitosan, a natural polysaccharide derived from the chitin by its deacetylation, is distinguished by its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. These attributes highlight its potential for widespread applications, particularly in the biomedical field. However, the practical use of chitosan is severely hindered by its low solubility challenges, especially in common solvents like water. The solubility of chitosan is intricately influenced by factors such as the degree of deacetylation and solvent conditions, including pH value and ionic strength. This study aims to explore chitosan based hydrogels formed using buffered solutions of varying ionic strengths. Furthermore, the study compares such hydrogels with the traditional method using acetic acid to create acidic environment and prepare chitosan solutions. The research focuses on how ionic strength influences the solubility and mechanical properties of chitosan hydrogels. Additionally, the study examines the effects of incorporating apatite wollastonite (AW) powder into the hydrogels. Methods employed include dynamic studies of the crosslinking reaction during hydrogel formation using fluorescence intensity (FI) measurements. Gelation time is studied through rheological tests, material strength is assessed by compression tests, and weight changes of hydrogels in PBS solution are captured using the gravimetric analysis method. Measurements show that in the initial 6 hours, samples using buffer and those with added AW exhibit an accelerated increase in FI. Rheological results indicate that the addition of AW significantly shortens the gelation time. As the ionic strength of the buffer solution increases, the gelation time for hydrogels without AW significantly rises. Interestingly, the significant impact of AW on gelation time and FI did not translate to significant changes in the measured mechanical strength. Instead, the study emphasizes the impact of ionic strength, where an increase in ion concentration corresponds to a notable enhancement in compressive modulus. Gravimetric study demonstrate that hydrogels using buffer solutions show significantly reduced shrinkage in PBS solution. Understanding the impact of ionic strength, in addition to pH, on chitosan solubility and the characteristics of the resulting hydrogels lays the groundwork for developing new strategies to alter and optimise formulation of chitosan based hydrogels. These advancements are expected to broaden chitosan's application in biomedicine and other fields, underscoring the importance of this research in advancing the field of biomaterials.
Author(s): Pan M, Bretcanu O, Xie F, Deehan D, Novakovic K
Publication type: Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
Publication status: Published
Conference Name: 6th EPNOE Junior Scientist Meeting 2024
Year of Conference: 2024
Print publication date: 04/09/2024
Online publication date: 04/09/2024
Acceptance date: 05/08/2024
URL: https://www.epnoe.eu/juniorscientistmeetinghome/
