Electrospun mat of thermal-treatment-induced nanocomposite hydrogel of polyvinyl alcohol and cerium oxide for biomedical applications

Hydrogels are one of the most thought-provoking formulations used widely for biomedical applications. In the present investigation, poly(vinyl) alcohol (PVA) and its cerium oxide (CO) composite-based hydrogels were prepared by the combination of electrospinning and thermal processing technique. The partial crosslinking, along with time-controlled heating (10 min), delivered PVA hydrogel. The mechanism was explained with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, where the hydroxyl group disappeared in long-duration (30 min) of heat treatment and they retain in lesser duration. The heat-treated PVA transformed from amorphous to crystalline, since the T_g of PVA disappeared in 30 min heat treatment, while the T_g increased to 85°C (10 min heat treatment) from 70°C in PVA, suggested the full and partial crystallinity. The swelling and porosity studies reveal the hydrogel formation of heat-treated PVA. Interestingly, CO reinforced PVA composites show better swelling with respect to heat-treated PVA. Furthermore, CO reinforced PVA hydrogel demonstrated better biocompatibility platelet adhesion and accelerated wound healing competence.