Affiliation: | 1. School of Material Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China;2. School of Material Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China
State Key Laboratory for Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China;3. College of Mathematics and Computer Science, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China |
Abstract: | Polyelectrolyte hydrogels with spinnability and electroresponsive were prepared from xanthan gum (XG) and gelatin. Oscillatory rheological measurements were utilized to explore mechanical properties and thermal stability of the resultant XG-Gelatin5 hydrogels. The XG-Gelatin5 hydrogels possessed higher strength and larger critical strain than these of the XG hydrogels, demonstrating existence of synergistic interactions. The XG-Gelatin5 hydrogels were stable in temperature range of 20–60°C, and gradually release drug with controlled manner in neutral and acid medium at 37°C. The self-recoverable and thixotropic XG-Gelatin5 hydrogels were extruded to form hydrogel fibers, and the dried hydrogel fibers rapidly bend towards cathode under applied voltage. Long hydrogel fibers were harvested with enhancement by Fe3+ ions, and were weaved and braided to obtain hydrogel fiber constructs. The XG-Gelatin5 hydrogel fibers with electroresponsive and controlled drug release possess potential applications in biomaterials, tissue engineering, and drug carrier fields. |