Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial Activity
Chinese herbal medicine has offered an enormous source for developing novel bio-soft materials. In this research, the natural polysaccharide isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine <i>Dendrobium</i> was employed as the secondary building block to fabricate a “hybrid” hydrogel with synt...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Gels |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/10/12/821 |
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| Summary: | Chinese herbal medicine has offered an enormous source for developing novel bio-soft materials. In this research, the natural polysaccharide isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine <i>Dendrobium</i> was employed as the secondary building block to fabricate a “hybrid” hydrogel with synthetic poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymers. Thanks to the presence of mannose units that contain cis-diol motifs on the chain of the <i>Dendrobium</i> polysaccharides, efficient crosslinking with the borax is allowed and reversible covalent borate ester bonds are formed. Eventually, highly dynamic and double-networked hydrogels were successfully prepared by the integration of <i>Dendrobium</i> polysaccharides and PVA. Interestingly, the introduction of polysaccharides has given rise to more robust and dynamic hydrogel networks, leading to enhanced thermal stability, mechanical strength, and tensile capacity (>1000%) as well as the rapid self-healing ability (<5 s) of the “hybrid” hydrogels compared with the PVA/borax single networked hydrogel. Moreover, the polysaccharides/PVA double network hydrogel showed selective antibacterial activity towards <i>S. aureus</i>. The reported polysaccharides/PVA double networked hydrogel would provide a scaffold to hybridize bioactive natural polysaccharides and synthetic polymers for developing robust but dynamic multiple networked hydrogels that are tailorable for biomedical applications. |
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| ISSN: | 2310-2861 |