title: Preparation and characterisation in simulated body conditions of glutaraldehyde crosslinked chitosan membranes.
abstract: Chitosan membranes, aimed at biomedical applications, were prepared by a solvent casting methodology. Crosslinking was previously performed in acetic acid solution with glutaraldehyde, in order to obtain different degrees of crosslinking. Some membranes were neutralised in a NaOH solution. Mechanical tensile tests comprised quasi-static experiments at constant stress rate and temperature sweep dynamic mechanical analysis tests. This included measurements with the samples immersed in isotonic saline solution at 37 degrees C, in order to simulate physiological conditions, that were performed using a specific liquid container. It was observed that for higher crosslinking levels the membranes become stiffer but their strength decreases; these results are in agreement with swelling tests, also performed at body temperature. All the membranes exhibited similar and significant damping properties in wet conditions, which were stable in a broad temperature range. Weight loss measurements showed that the developed membranes degrade slowly up to 60 days. Cytotoxicity screening, using cell culture tests, showed that eventually such materials could be adequate for use in biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal. ricardosilva@dep.uminho.pt
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001831:Body Temperature; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003445:Crustacea; D005976:Glutaral / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D012997:Solvents; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D012997:Solvents; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D048271:Chitosan; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D019342:Acetic Acid; D005976:Glutaral