水凝胶是具有特定特征的三维结构,使其可用于生物医学应用。如组织工程支架,药物输送系统,和伤口敷料。近年来,对天然产物衍生的水凝胶的机械性能的研究已经显着增加,以扩展其在各个领域的应用,并且有不同的方法来获得增强的水凝胶。阳离子瓜尔胶具有允许其与其他聚合物相互作用并产生水凝胶的物理化学性质。这项研究旨在开发一种超拉伸和自我修复的水凝胶,评估添加PolyOX[聚(环氧乙烷)]对机械性能的影响以及与阳离子瓜尔胶的相互作用,以用于潜在的组织工程应用。我们发现PolyOX浓度和pH变化的变化会影响阳离子瓜尔胶水凝胶的机械性能。经过优化实验,我们获得了一种新型的水凝胶,它是半结晶的,高度可拉伸,并且具有约400cm2的伸长面积,表示与伸长之前的水凝胶相比增加了33倍。此外,自愈后,水凝胶的回收率为96.8%,粘度为153,347±4,6662cP。因此,这种新型水凝胶表现出最佳的机械和化学性质,可适用于不同领域的广泛应用,比如组织工程,药物输送,或食物储存。
Hydrogels are three-dimensional structures with specific features that render them useful for biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems, and wound dressings. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the search for improved mechanical properties of hydrogels derived from natural products to extend their applications in various fields, and there are different methods to obtain strengthened hydrogels. Cationic guar gum has physicochemical properties that allow it to interact with other polymers and generate hydrogels. This study aimed to develop an ultra-stretchable and self-healing hydrogel, evaluating the influence of adding PolyOX [poly(ethylene oxide)] on the mechanical properties and the interaction with cationic guar gum for potential tissue engineering applications. We found that variations in PolyOX concentrations and pH changes influenced the mechanical properties of cationic guar gum hydrogels. After optimization experiments, we obtained a novel hydrogel, which was semi-crystalline, highly stretchable, and with an extensibility area of approximately 400 cm2, representing a 33-fold increase compared to the hydrogel before being extended. Moreover, the hydrogel presented a recovery of 96.8% after the self-healing process and a viscosity of 153,347 ± 4,662 cP. Therefore, this novel hydrogel exhibited optimal mechanical and chemical properties and could be suitable for a broad range of applications in different fields, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, or food storage.