Advances in Cryogels

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 15608

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical and Biological Technologies (IHBT), Satbayev University, Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan
Interests: cryogels; polyelectrolyte complexes; amphoteric polymers; zwitterionic polymers; composites with metal nanoparticles; smart macroporous hydrogels; biocompatibility; biomaterials; enterosorbents; synthesis
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Guest Editor
Research Group “Development and Modeling of Novel Nanoporous Materials”, Hamburg University of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
Interests: engineering of porous materials; biopolymers; aerogels; cryo processes; coarse-grained modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This year it is 100 years to the polymer chemistry science. Macroporous polymeric scaffolds have attracted enormous attention from scientists and engineers to food, biomedicine, biosensors and heavy industry etc. Functional polymers have a great potential to manage many global ecological challenges in areas such removal of heavy metals, dyes and toxic contaminants.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a collection of research papers related to novel methods of cryogel preparation, new approaches of physical characterisation and chemical modification of cryogel surface, molecular imprinted(MIP) cryogels, separation of biomolecules using  via ligand exchange mechanism (chelation) and ion exchange; nano and microparticles elimination,  macroporous hydrogels acceptable for selective or nonselective extraction of noble metal ions; smart porous polymers based on inter and or polyelectrolyte complexes. Methods of preparation of composite cryogels composed of metal nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles and polymers; usage of nontoxic modified cross-linking agents for synthesis of biocompatible scaffolds for biomedical application. Smart cryogels utilized for desalination of water.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: Composite cryogels with given properties for biosensing; cryogels for efficient radionuclides separation or extraction; cryogels polymer-metal systems for catalysis. Cryogels as a drug delivery system

Dr. Dmitriy A. Berillo
Prof. Dr. Pavel Gurikov
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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10 pages, 4842 KiB  
Article
Alginate NiFe2O4 Nanoparticles Cryogel for Electrochemical Glucose Biosensor Development
by Amin Fatoni, Aziz Wijonarko, Mekar Dwi Anggraeni, Dadan Hermawan, Hartiwi Diastuti and Zusfahair
Gels 2021, 7(4), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040272 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2795
Abstract
Glucose biosensors based on porous material of alginate cryogel has been developed, and the cryogel provides a large surface area for enzyme immobilization. The alginate cryogel has been supplemented with NiFe2O4 nanoparticles to improve the electron transfer for electrochemical detection. [...] Read more.
Glucose biosensors based on porous material of alginate cryogel has been developed, and the cryogel provides a large surface area for enzyme immobilization. The alginate cryogel has been supplemented with NiFe2O4 nanoparticles to improve the electron transfer for electrochemical detection. The fabrication parameters and operational conditions for the biosensor have also been optimized. The results showed that the optimum addition of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles to the alginate solution was 0.03 g/mL. The optimum operational conditions for the electrochemical detection were a cyclic voltammetry scan rate of 0.11 V/s, buffer pH of 7.0, and buffer concentration of 150 mM. The fabricated alginate NiFe2O4 nanoparticles cryogel-based glucose biosensor showed a linear response for glucose determination with a regression line of y = 18.18x + 455.28 and R² = 0.98. Furthermore, the calculated detection limit was 0.32 mM and the limit of quantification was 1.06 mM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cryogels)
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11 pages, 1236 KiB  
Article
Water Uptake as a Crucial Factor on the Properties of Cryogels of Gelatine Cross-Linked by Dextran Dialdehyde
by Natalia Volkova and Dmitriy Berillo
Gels 2021, 7(4), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040159 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2303
Abstract
We investigated the water sorption properties of macroporous cryogels of gelatine (Gel) and dextran dialdehyde (DDA) prepared via cryogelation at 260 K and following the freeze drying processes. Water vapour sorption isotherms for aerogels were studied at 293 K by two independent methods: [...] Read more.
We investigated the water sorption properties of macroporous cryogels of gelatine (Gel) and dextran dialdehyde (DDA) prepared via cryogelation at 260 K and following the freeze drying processes. Water vapour sorption isotherms for aerogels were studied at 293 K by two independent methods: static-gravimetric and dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) over a water activity range of 0.11–1.0. Experimental data were fitted by use of the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB) models. The BET model (for a water activity range of 0.1 ≤ p/po ≤ 0.5) was used to calculate the sorption parameters of the studied cryogels (the monolayer capacity, surface area and energy of interaction). In comparison with BET, the GAB model can be applied for the whole range of water activities (0.1 ≤ p/po ≤ 0.95). This model gave an almost perfect correlation between the experimental and calculated sorption isotherms using nonlinear least squares fitting (NLSF). Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) was used to confirm the structural differences between various DDA:Gel cryogel compositions. Thermogravimetric analysis and DSC data for aerogels DDA:Gel provided information regarding the bonded water loss, relative remaining water content of the material and the temperature of decomposition. Estimation of the amount of bound water in the cryogels after the freeze drying process as well as after the cycle of treatment of cryogels with high humidity and drying was performed using DSC. The results of the DSC determinations showed that cryogels with higher gelatin content had higher levels of bonded water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cryogels)
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16 pages, 4688 KiB  
Article
Chondroitin Sulfate-Based Cryogels for Biomedical Applications
by Sahin Demirci, Mehtap Sahiner, Betul Ari, Aydin K. Sunol and Nurettin Sahiner
Gels 2021, 7(3), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7030127 - 26 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3071
Abstract
Cryogels attained from natural materials offer exceptional properties in applications such as tissue engineering. Moreover, Halloysite Nanotubes (HNT) at 1:0.5 weight ratio were embedded into CS cryogels to render additional biomedical properties. The hemolysis index of CS cryogel and CS:HNT cryogels was calculated [...] Read more.
Cryogels attained from natural materials offer exceptional properties in applications such as tissue engineering. Moreover, Halloysite Nanotubes (HNT) at 1:0.5 weight ratio were embedded into CS cryogels to render additional biomedical properties. The hemolysis index of CS cryogel and CS:HNT cryogels was calculated as 0.77 ± 0.41 and 0.81 ± 0.24 and defined as non-hemolytic materials. However, the blood coagulation indices of CS cryogel and CS:HNT cryogels were determined as 76 ± 2% and 68 ± 3%, suggesting a mild blood clotting capability. The maximum% swelling capacity of CS cryogel was measured as 3587 ± 186%, 4014 ± 184%, and 3984 ± 113%, at pH 1.0, pH 7.4 and pH 9.0, respectively, which were reduced to 1961 ± 288%, 2816 ± 192, 2405 ± 73%, respectively, for CS:HNT cryogel. It was found that CS cryogels can hydrolytically be degraded 41 ± 1% (by wt) in 16-day incubation, whereas the CS:HNT cryogels degraded by 30 ± 1 wt %. There is no chelation for HNT and 67.5 ± 1% Cu(II) chelation for linear CS was measured. On the other hand, the CS cryogel and CS:HNT cryogel revealed Cu(II) chelating capabilities of 60.1 ± 12.5%, and 43.2 ± 17.5%, respectively, from 0.1 mg/mL Cu(II) ion stock solution. Additionally, at 0.5 mg/mL CS, CS:HNT, and HNT, the Fe(II) chelation capacity of 99.7 ± 0.6, 86.2 ± 4.7% and only 11.9 ± 4.5% were measured, respectively, while no Fe(II) was chelated by linear CS chelated Fe(II). As the adjustable and controllable swelling properties of cryogels are important parameters in biomedical applications, the swelling properties of CS cryogels, at different solution pHs, e.g., at the solution pHs of 1.0, 7.4 and 9.0, were measured as 3587 ± 186%, 4014 ± 184%, and 3984 ± 113%, respectively, and the maximum selling% values of CS:HNT cryogels were determined as 1961 ± 288%, 2816 ± 192, 2405 ± 73%, respectively, at the same conditions. Alpha glucosidase enzyme interactions were investigated and found that CS-based cryogels can stimulate this enzyme at any CS formulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cryogels)
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18 pages, 7333 KiB  
Article
Tuning the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Cryogels with the Aid of Surfactants
by Rafael S. Dezotti, Laíse M. Furtado, Márcio Yee, Ticiane S. Valera, Krishnasamy Balaji, Rômulo A. Ando and Denise F. S. Petri
Gels 2021, 7(3), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7030118 - 11 Aug 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3273
Abstract
The mechanical and thermal properties of cryogels depend on their microstructure. In this study, the microstructure of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) cryogels was modified by the addition of ionic (bis (2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate, AOT) and non-ionic (Kolliphor® EL) surfactants to the precursor hydrogels [...] Read more.
The mechanical and thermal properties of cryogels depend on their microstructure. In this study, the microstructure of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) cryogels was modified by the addition of ionic (bis (2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate, AOT) and non-ionic (Kolliphor® EL) surfactants to the precursor hydrogels (30 g/L). The surfactant concentrations varied from 0.2 mmol/L to 3.0 mmol/L. All of the hydrogels presented viscous behavior (G″ > G′). Hydrogels containing AOT (c > 2.0 mmol/L) led to cryogels with the lowest compressive modulus (13 ± 1 kPa), the highest specific surface area (2.31 m2/g), the lowest thermal conductivity (0.030 W/(m·°C)), and less hygroscopic walls. The addition of Kolliphor® EL to the hydrogels yielded the stiffest cryogels (320 ± 32 kPa) with the lowest specific surface area (1.11 m2/g) and the highest thermal conductivity (0.055 W/(m·°C)). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated an interaction energy of −31.8 kcal/mol due to the interaction between the AOT sulfonate group and the HPMC hydroxyl group and the hydrogen bond between the AOT carbonyl group and the HPMC hydroxyl group. The interaction energy between the HPMC hydroxyl group and the Kolliphor® EL hydroxyl group was calculated as −7.91 kcal/mol. A model was proposed to describe the effects of AOT or Kolliphor® EL on the microstructures and the mechanical/thermal properties of HPMC cryogels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cryogels)
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18 pages, 4312 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Analysis on the Effect of Variety of Grape Pomace Extracts on the Ice-Templated 3D Cryogel Features
by Irina Elena Raschip, Nicusor Fifere and Maria Valentina Dinu
Gels 2021, 7(3), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7030076 - 23 Jun 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2541
Abstract
Nowadays, there is a growing interest in developing functional packaging materials from renewable resources containing bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols) in order to reduce the use of petroleum-based plastics and their impact on the environment. In this regard, the effect of a variety [...] Read more.
Nowadays, there is a growing interest in developing functional packaging materials from renewable resources containing bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols) in order to reduce the use of petroleum-based plastics and their impact on the environment. In this regard, the effect of a variety and concentration of grape pomace extracts (Feteasca Neagra or Merlot) incorporated within ice-templated 3D xanthan-based composites was evaluated by considering their water content, surface and texture properties, radical scavenging and microbiological activities. The embedding of Feteasca Neagra or Merlot grape pomace extracts was studied by static water swelling and contact angle measurements, and SEM, EDX, and TGA analyses. The water contact angle results showed an increase in the surface hydrophobicity of the extract-loaded cryogels with an increase in extract content from 10 to 40 v/v%. SEM micrographs indicated that the entrapment of grape pomace extracts affected the morphology of the pore walls and reduced the pore sizes. The antioxidant activity of grape pomace extract-loaded composite cryogels was closely related to the total phenolic content of grape variety and to their concentration into matrices. The highly hydrophobic character of composite cryogels containing Merlot grape pomace extract and their remarkable antimicrobial activity indicates a great potential of these materials for food packaging applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cryogels)
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