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: Weidong Liu, Chuying Yao, Daohang Wang, Guangyan Du, Yutian Ji, Quan Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Gels
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/10/12/821
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author Weidong Liu
Chuying Yao
Daohang Wang
Guangyan Du
Yutian Ji
Quan Li
author_facet Weidong Liu
Chuying Yao
Daohang Wang
Guangyan Du
Yutian Ji
Quan Li
author_sort Weidong Liu
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-158e9b967874439a9c97ef08f9ceb14f2025-08-20T02:56:07ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612024-12-01101282110.3390/gels10120821Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial ActivityWeidong Liu0Chuying Yao1Daohang Wang2Guangyan Du3Yutian Ji4Quan Li5Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, ChinaCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, ChinaCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, ChinaCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials Co-Constructed by the Province and Ministry, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory for the Synthesis and Application of Organic Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, ChinaTianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, ChinaChinese 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/10/12/821polyvinyl alcoholnatural polysaccharidesdouble networkhydrogelherbal medicine
spellingShingle Weidong Liu
Chuying Yao
Daohang Wang
Guangyan Du
Yutian Ji
Quan Li
Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial Activity
Gels
polyvinyl alcohol
natural polysaccharides
double network
hydrogel
herbal medicine
title Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial Activity
title_full Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial Activity
title_fullStr Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial Activity
title_full_unstemmed Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial Activity
title_short Dynamic Double-Networked Hydrogels by Hybridizing PVA and Herbal Polysaccharides: Improved Mechanical Properties and Selective Antibacterial Activity
title_sort dynamic double networked hydrogels by hybridizing pva and herbal polysaccharides improved mechanical properties and selective antibacterial activity
topic polyvinyl alcohol
natural polysaccharides
double network
hydrogel
herbal medicine
url https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/10/12/821
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