earticle

영어

Sodium alginate (AL), a natural polysaccharide derived from algae, is widely used in hydrogels due to its excellent biocompatibility and gel-forming abilities. However, the low mechanical properties of AL hydrogels limit their broader applications. TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNF) are known for their superior mechanical strength and the presence of abundant surface carboxyl groups, which facilitate ionic bonding with cations. In this study, a natural polymer composite hydrogel was developed by crosslinking AL with TOCNF using Ca²⁺ ions as a crosslinking agent. TOCNF served as a reinforcing material, and the effects of TOCNF content and its carboxyl group concentration on the hydrogel’s properties were investigated. The results demonstrate a synergistic enhancement of gel strength due to the interaction between TOCNF and AL, highlighting the potential of these composite hydrogels for advanced applications in natural polymer-based materials.