STUDYING FEATURES OF GEL FORMATION AND RHEOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF GELATIN-BASED HYDROGELS FOR COSMETOLOGY AND MEDICINE

Abstract

This article studies the features of gelation and rheological processes of gelatin-based hydrogels for cosmetology and medicine. It is shown that the study of the features of the processes of structure formation of dispersed hydrogels in water, as well as the processes of obtaining medical and cosmetic materials of various natures is extremely important in solving a number of urgent problems. In the context of cosmetic applications, the main advantage of polymer hydrogels is the possibility of their saturation with active substances even at the manufacturing stage. Viscosimetric studies of the concentration dependence of the viscosity of gelatin solutions on temperature, the results of which can be used to judge the ability of gelatin to carry out conformational transitions, showed a significant difference in the graphical dependences of the relative viscosity of diluted solutions in the temperature range 20–25 °C. It was found that in the temperature range from 20 to 25 °C macromolecules of fish gelatin carry out the conformational transition "fibrils-ball". The presented data are evidence that gelatin macromolecules in solutions tend to spiralise, therefore, gelatin molecules retained their native state and have reactivity. It was determined that with an increase in temperature to 40 °C, no significant change in the relative viscosity was noted, which determines the homogeneity of the molecular weight distribution of the components of gelatin and is confirmed by experimental data on its molecular weight composition, which indicates the presence of high molecular weight components with the maximum preserved native structure. It has been established that the most effective from the point of view of obtaining various medical, cosmetic materials and agents are compositions with the greatest time of loss of stickiness and film formation – with 25 % gelatin and 50 % milk and honey, since they will be characterized by the longest diffusion time active substances into the human body.