Synthesis and Characterization of Bioinspired Chitin Nanofiber/Gelatin Hydrogels with High Mechanical Properties
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-1-2020
Abstract
Inspired by the "quinone hardening" process during the natural sclerotization of insect cuticles, high-strength hydrogels (S-ChNF/G-nCu) were fabricated via the combination of chitin nanofiber and gelatin under neutral hydroquinone (HQ)/copper (Cu[II]) solutions. Since the quinone cross-linking reacts between amino groups, by increasing the amino group content on the chitin crystalline surface through alkali treatment, surface-deacetylated chitin nanofibers (SD-ChNFs) were prepared to facilitate the cross-linking reaction between SD-ChNF and gelatin. Furthermore, by adjusting the content of Cu[II] (which acted as catalyst in the quinone crosslinking reaction), tensile properties of the fabricated S-ChNF/G-nCu hydrogels could be modified. The results show that when the content of Cu[II] is 6 mg, the tensile strength and elastics modulus of the prepared S-ChNF/G-6Cu hydrogel is nearly 3 times and 14 times higher than those of the cooling-treated (S-ChNF/G) hydrogel, respectively.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Gaofenzi Cailiao Kexue Yu Gongcheng/Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering
First Page
152
Last Page
157
Recommended Citation
Chen, C., Wu, Q., Wang, Y., Hu, M., Yan, S., Zhang, Y., & Li, D. (2020). Synthesis and Characterization of Bioinspired Chitin Nanofiber/Gelatin Hydrogels with High Mechanical Properties. Gaofenzi Cailiao Kexue Yu Gongcheng/Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering, 36 (8), 152-157. https://doi.org/10.16865/j.cnki.1000-7555.2020.0195