Fabrication of Novel Supramolecular Hydrogels with High Mechanical Strength and Adjustable Thermosensitivity

Abstract

An effective strategy was developed to fabricate the supramolecular hydrogels with high mechanical strength and adjustable thermosensitivity in aqueous systems, in which physical hydrogel precursors were first formed by the inclusion complexation of Pluronic F68/poly(epsilon-caprolactone) block copolymer end-capped with acryloyl groups with alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) and subsequently in situ UV photo-cross-linking was carried out. In this way, strong supramolecular hydrogels with elastic moduli greater than 100 000 Pa could be created, which is an order of magnitude higher than that previously achieved with related supramolecular hydrogels. Moreover, the stimuli-responsive property of these hydrogels could be tailored by changing the molar feed ratio of alpha-CD to the macromer. By X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analyses, the polypseudorotaxane structure of the inclusion complexes in as-obtained hydrogels was confirmed.

A simple route to interpenetrating network hydrogel with high mechanical strength

“…In PAM/PVA IPN spectrum, a new absorption band due to C-O-C stretching vibration at 1179 cm À1 appears. The appearance of the ether group reveals intermolecular and intramolecular selfcrosslinking appeared [23,24].…”

In situ supramolecular hydrogel based on hyaluronic acid and dextran derivatives as cell scaffold

“…Then, the hydrogel was washed with PBS (pH 7.4) carefully to remove the dye, and followed by imaging under the microscope. Four individual regions were used to count the number of live cells (green fluorescence) or dead cells (red fluorescence) . Cells cultured in the plate were used as the control.…”

“…However, the mechanical strength of the hydrogel formed by noncovalent interactions is insufficient. These physical hydrogels can hardly afford sufficient protection of entrapped cells from external shocks . Host–guest supramolecular hydrogels formed via specific recognition between macrocyclic hosts (e.g., cyclodextrins and cucurbit[n]urils) and hydrophobic guests (e.g., adamantine and azobenzene) have shown excellent mechanical properties to resolve this problem .…”

Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable thermo- and pH-sensitive hydrogels based on pluronic F127/poly(ε-caprolactone) macromer and acrylic acid

“…20 The F127/PCL macromer was prepared by conjugating acryloyl chloride to terminal hydroxyl groups of the above-mentioned block copolymer as described previously. 24 Briefly, dry F127/PCL block copolymer (10 g) was dissolved in 100 mL of dry dichloromethane in a 250-mL round-bottomed flask, triethylamine (1.0 mL) and acryloyl chloride (0.6 mL) were added dropwise to the solution during the period of 1 h under dry argon atmosphere, respectively. The reaction mixture was stirred at 0 o C for 12 h and at room temperature for another 12 h. The product was precipitated in an excess of anhydrous ethyl ether.…”