Synthesis of Biomaterial-Based Hydrogels Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals for Biomedical Applications

Pavan Kumar Dara,Anil Kumar Vemu,Ravishankar Chandragiri Nagarajarao,Anandan Rangasamy,Karthik Deekonda,Senthilkumar Subramanian,Mahadevan Raghavankutty,Suseela Mathew,Visnuvinayagam Sivam,Senthilkumar Rajagopal

doi:10.1155/2021/4865733

Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were prepared by formic acid hydrolysis and TEMPO- (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl-) mediated oxidation. The prepared CNCs were reinforced into biopolymers chitosan (CHI), alginate (ALG), and gelatin (GEL) to obtain “CNC-ALG-GEL” and “CNC-CHI-GEL” hydrogels. The synthesized hydrogels were characterized for physicochemical, thermal, and structural characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravity analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Notably, the reinforcement of CNC has not altered the molecular structure of a biopolymer as revealed by FT-IR analysis. The hydrogels reinforced with CNC have shown better thermal stability and miscibility as revealed by thermal gravity analysis. The physicochemical, thermal, and structural characterization revealed the chemical interaction and electrostatic attraction between the CNC and biopolymers. The biocompatibility was investigated by evaluating the viability of the L929 fibroblast cell, which represents good biocompatibility and nontoxic nature. These hydrogels could be implemented in therapeutic biomedical research and regenerative medicinal applications.

Highlights

Cellulose is one of the naturally occurring renewable biopolymers
Particle size distribution is one of the most important characteristic properties that determine its functionality, whereas the zeta potential defines the potential difference between the dispersion medium and the layer of fluid attached to the dispersed nanocrystals in a colloidal system of charged particles [10]
The particle size of the cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) depends on several factors such as type of acid used for the hydrolysis, reaction temperature, and reaction

Summary

Introduction

Cellulose is one of the naturally occurring renewable biopolymers It plays a key position as an abundant raw organic material which is capable of meeting the demands for green and biobased products [1]. Nanocellulose materials such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) prepared from cellulose have gained tremendous attention in tissue engineering, biomedical applications, and regenerative medicine due to their superior biocompatibility and favourable rheological and biological active properties [2]. CNCs are rod-shaped-like nanoparticles that can be obtained from different types of diversified rich cellulose bioresources such as rice husk, wheat straw, cotton, and wood pulp [3]. The nanocrystals with high carboxyl content have been found to be suitable for drug delivery applications [7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion