Interactions between alginate and bioactive glass nanoparticles

 

Investigator: Melina Grotmann (Master student) 

Melina Grotmann

 

Supervisors: Dr. Kai Zheng, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

 

Bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGN) are versatile biomaterials for a variety of biomedical applications including bone regeneration and wound healing [1]. Their combination with biopolymers (e.g. gelatin, alginate) can lead to multifunctional composites [2]. Alginate, a natural polysaccharide, is highly hydrophilic, biocompatible, relatively economical and widely utilized in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Alginate/BGN based composite scaffolds, hydrogels, capsules, and coatings have been developed by using different approaches and techniques, but the interactions between alginate and BGN have not been fully understood. In this project, we aim to investigate the influence of BGN (e.g. size, chemical composition) on the properties (e.g., mechanical properties, crosslinking degree) of alginate-based hydrogels.

[1]K. Zheng, A.R. Boccaccini, Sol-gel processing of bioactive glass nanoparticles: A review, Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 249 (2017) 363–373.

[2]A.R. Boccaccini, M. Erol, W.J. Stark, D. Mohn, Z. Hong, J.F. Mano, Polymer/bioactive glass nanocomposites for biomedical applications: A review, Compos. Sci. Technol. 70 (2010) 1764–1776.