Affiliation:
1. Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry Polymer Laboratory Federal University of do Ceará (UFC) Campus do Pici Fortaleza Ceará 60440‐900 Brazil
2. Department of Chemical Engineering Laboratory of Biomaterial and Bioproduct Federal University of Ceará (UFC) Campus do Pici Fortaleza Ceará 60440–900 Brazil
3. Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering (LBB‐UL) Canada Research Chair Tier I Department of Min‐Met‐Materials Engineering & CHU de Quebec Research Center Division Regenerative Medicine Laval University Quebec City Quebec G1V0A6 Canada
Abstract
AbstractEvaluating the biodegradability and biocompatibility of hydrogels is essential for identifying materials suitable for biomedical applications. This study describes the fabrication of hydrogels utilizing physiological‐soluble chitosan (N‐succinyl chitosan, NSC) crosslinked with dialdehyde guar gum (Oxidized Galactomannan, OxGM) via the Schiff‐base reaction. Hydrogels with varying volumetric ratios of NSC/OxGM, resulting in distinct NH2/CHO functional group ratios and crosslinking degrees, underwent comprehensive characterization using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), swelling, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Gelation time (tgel) is assessed by rheological analysis (tgel = G′ > G″), where tgel increased with higher crosslinking density, reaching a maximum value of ≈80 s. Biodegradation analysis in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) with lysozyme (13 mg L−1) revealed that the crosslinking degree significantly influenced degradation, with lower crosslinking associated with an elevated degradation profile. Moreover, cell viability assays with fibroblastic cells demonstrated minimal cytotoxicity, but an increase in free aldehyde groups correlated with decreased cell viability. For the 75C25C hydrogel, the compressive test yielded a Young's modulus value of 67.2 kPa (±8.5). These results imply that the hydrogels developed exhibit favorable biodegradability and biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for diverse biomedical applications.
Funder
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior