Carbon Nanotubes as Structural Nanofibers for Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Scaffolds

• Published in: Biomacromolecules Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 505 - 509
• Main Authors: Bhattacharyya, Sanjib, Guillot, Samuel, Dabboue, Hinda, Tranchant, Jean-François, Salvetat, Jean-Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.02.2008
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Hyaluronic Acid - chemistry; Hydrogels - chemistry; Medical sciences; Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Technology of polymers; Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry; Viscoelasticity; Strengthening; Mixing; Swelling; Sulfone; Tissue engineering; Carbon nanotubes; Crosslinking; Experimental study; Mechanism; Colloidal gel; Singlewalled nanotube; Morphology; Preparation; Oside polymer; Biomaterial; Nanocomposite; Kinetics; Hyaluronic acid; Framework; Growth from solution
• ISSN: 1525-7797; 1526-4602
• DOI: 10.1021/bm7009976

We have successfully dispersed functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) within hyaluronic acid–water solutions. Hybrid hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels with SWNTs were then formed by cross-linking with divinyl sulfone. We have found a considerable change in the morphology of the lyophilized hybrid hydrogels compared to HA hydrogels. The high water uptake capacity, an important property of HA hydrogels, remained almost unchanged after 2 wt % SWNT (vs HA) incorporation, despite a dramatic enhancement in the dynamic mechanical properties of the hybrid hydrogels compared to native ones. We have found a 300% enhancement in the storage modulus of hybrid hydrogel with only 2 wt % of SWNTs vs HA (0.06 wt % vs total weight including water content). This apparent contradiction can be explained by a networking effect between SWNTs, mediated by HA chains. As in biological tissue, HA plays a dual role of matrix and linker for the rigid reinforcing nanofibers.