Nanostructured chitosan–gelatin hybrid aerogels produced by supercritical gel drying. Issue 9 (3rd October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baldino, Lucia; Cardea, Stefano; Reverchon, Ernesto
• Is Part Of: Polymer engineering & science. Volume 58:Issue 9(2018)
• Page Start: 1494
• Page End: 1499
• Publication Date: 2017-10-03
• Subjects: Polymer engineering -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.24719
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3888

Abstract

Abstract : In this work, chitosan/gelatin (Ch/G) aerogels with a network organization were produced by supercritical gel drying. Ch structure was characterized by a cellular morphology with smooth pore walls, with a mean pore size of about 20 µm. The morphology of G aerogel was, instead, nanofibrous with a mean fiber size lower than 100 nm. The mixture between Ch and G favored Ch gelification, due to the chemical interaction among the cationic Ch and negatively charged molecules of G. Ch/G hybrid aerogels formed an interpenetrated polymer network, with enhanced mechanical properties with respect to the starting single biopolymers, achieving a Young modulus up to 181 kPa, suitable for bone tissue engineering. Moreover, high surface area (≈250 m 2 g −1 ) and negligible glutaraldehyde (GTA) residues were found after supercritical processing; in particular, the GTA residues in the aerogels were lower than 3 ppm, also in the worst case (i.e., 2.3 ppm of released GTA for the Ch/G 4/1 aerogel), making them useful for potential nanomedicine applications. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1494–1499, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers