Nanocomposites and nanomaterials

Peculiarities of the microstructure of gelatin hydrogel structured by bifunctional dioxirane crosslinkers 

Maikovych O.V., Nosova N.G., Varvarenko S.M.
Organic Chemistry Department, Lviv Polytechnic National University. 
12 Bandera str., Lviv-79013, Ukraine. 
E-mail: olha.v.maikovych@lpnu.ua

In the treatment of wounds of various origins, hydrogel dressings are increasingly used, which combine a number of properties, for example, intensive absorption of wound exudate, the creation of a protective barrier that protects the wound from infection, prolonged and targeted release of therapeutics. Most of the properties are greatly influenced by the porosity of the hydrogel, which depends on the presence of cross-linking bonds. 
We obtain gelatin hydrogels structured by bifunctional dioxirane crosslinkers based on polyethylene glycols of various molecular weights. Investigation of structure (SEM, TEM) showed a dependence of the pore size on the structuring agents and their concentration. Pores are irregularly shaped and of heterogeneous size. Table 1, for example, shows the results of studies of hydrogels based on a bifunctional dioxirane derivative of polyethylene glycol-400 (DOX-500) and type A gelatin (bloom 180). The results are given for unstructured gelatin and gelatin hydrogels with different content of the structuring agent.
Table 1 
The pore size of Gelatin 15 % and cross-linked gelatin hydrogels 
Sample	Pore Size (μm)	
Gelatin 15 %
DOX 500 3 %
DOX 500 3.6 %
DOX 500 4.5 %
DOX 500 6 %	25 ± 10
7 ± 3
9 ± 3
12 ± 5
15 ± 7	
Thus, we studied the structure of gelatin hydrogel materials depending on the synthesis conditions and the concentration of the structuring agent. The optimal conditions for their production are determined, making it possible to obtain hydrogels with satisfactory properties for using the obtained material as the basis of a specialized hydrogel dressing to treat chronic wounds.