Li Ya, Dong Xiaotong, Yao Lihui, Wang Yajuan, Wang Linghui, Jiang Zhiqiang, Qiu Dan
School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315211, China.
Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Ningbo 315201, China.
Polymers (Basel). 2023 Mar 5;15(5):1308. doi: 10.3390/polym15051308.
Collagen (Col) hydrogels are an important biomaterial with many applications in the biomedical sector. However, deficiencies, including insufficient mechanical properties and a rapid rate of biodegradation, hamper their application. In this work, nanocomposite hydrogels were prepared by combining a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) with Col without any chemical modification. The high-pressure, homogenized CNC matrix acts as nuclei in the collagen's self-aggregation process. The obtained CNC/Col hydrogels were characterized in terms of their morphology, mechanical and thermal properties and structure by SEM, rotational rheometer, DSC and FTIR, respectively. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy was used to characterize the self-assembling phase behavior of the CNC/Col hydrogels. The results showed an accelerated assembling rate with the increasing loading of CNC. The triple-helix structure of the collagen was preserved with a dosage of CNC of up to 15 wt%. The CNC/Col hydrogels demonstrated an improvement in both the storage modulus and thermal stability which is attributed to the interaction between the CNC and collagen by the hydrogen bonds.
胶原蛋白（Col）水凝胶是一种重要的生物材料，在生物医学领域有许多应用。然而，包括机械性能不足和生物降解速度快在内的缺陷阻碍了它们的应用。在这项工作中，通过将纤维素纳米晶体（CNC）与Col结合而不进行任何化学改性制备了纳米复合水凝胶。高压均质化的CNC基质在胶原蛋白的自聚集过程中充当核。分别通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、旋转流变仪、差示扫描量热法（DSC）和傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）对所得的CNC/Col水凝胶的形态、机械和热性能以及结构进行了表征。使用紫外可见光谱对CNC/Col水凝胶的自组装相行为进行了表征。结果表明，随着CNC负载量的增加，组装速率加快。在CNC用量高达15 wt%时，胶原蛋白的三螺旋结构得以保留。CNC/Col水凝胶的储能模量和热稳定性均有所提高，这归因于CNC与胶原蛋白之间通过氢键的相互作用。
