Reinforcing biopolymer hydrogels with ionic‐covalent entanglement hydrogel microspheres. Issue 15 (4th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kirchmajer, Damian Martin; Panhuis, Marc in het
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied polymer science. Volume 131:Issue 15(2014:Aug. 05)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2014-03-04
• Subjects: Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/app.40557
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8995

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>Microscopic hydrogel spheres can be used to improve the mechanical properties of conventional hydrogels. We prepared ionic‐covalent entanglement (ICE) hydrogel microspheres of calcium cross‐linked gellan gum and genipin cross‐linked gelatin using a water‐in‐oil emulsion‐based processing technique. The method was optimized to produce microspheres with number average diameter 4 ± 1 µm. These ICE microspheres were used to reinforce gelatin hydrogels and improve their compressive mechanical properties. The strongest microsphere reinforced hydrogels possessed a compressive mechanical stress at failure of 0.50 ± 0.1 MPa and a compressive secant modulus of 0.18 ± 0.02 MPa. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. <bold>2014</bold>, <italic>131</italic>, 40557.</p> </abstract>