Fabrication of moldable chitosan gels via thermally induced phase separation in aqueous alcohol solutions
A team of scientists from the Laboratory of polymers for biology IBCh RAS has developed an original formation method of transparent thermoreversible chitosan alcogels with controlled mechanical strength by cooling chitosan/H2O/ethanol ternary systems down to temperatures higher than their freezing points. Non-swelling (at pH ≥ 5,5) structures of complex shape were produced by processing preformed alcogels with base solutions. In collaboration with colleagues from FSRC “Crystallography and photonics” RAS we demonstrated nanofibrous structure of the produced gels and revealed that the developed method can be easily applied for such techniques as pressure casting and 3D printing. The results of in vitro and in vivo experiments showed lack of pronounced cytotoxicity and demonstrated biocompatibility with living tissues. The work was published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.
july 18, 2022