earticle

영어

A biodegradable and biocompatible material plays an important role in increasing demand for eco-friendly materials. Microfibrilated cellulose (MFC), an eco-friendly material for composite hydrogels, was obtained by acid hydrolysis of bacterial cellulose produced by Gluconacetobacteria xylinus strain in Kombucha. The effect of growth of ice crystals in composite hydrogels was studied by freeze drying. The composite hydrogel was prepared by introducing MFC fibers within cross-linked poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) using freeze drying then subsequent polymerization. PNIPAM was cross-linked in a frozen state by photopolymerization with methylenebisacrylamide (MBA). The hydrogel film was purified by soaking in distilled water. The morphology of fibers and its influence were confirmed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, equilibrium swelling ratio and rheological properties. This study reveals that freeze drying can induce fiber alignment and also influence the equilibrium swelling ratio of hydrogels.