title: Development of a novel porous cryo-foam for potential wound healing applications.
abstract: This body of work describes the development of a porous hydrogel for wound healing applications. In the present study poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) based hydrogels were prepared, and their properties were examined. Varying concentrations of the polymers and distilled water were used to prepare the hydrogels. The use of a high shear mixer, for foaming the PVA and PVA/PAA gels, and how this physical change can affect the structure and porosity of the hydrogel in question, represents a key feature of this work. The mechanical and thermal properties were determined by parallel plate rheometry and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) respectively. The results indicated that the hydrogels containing low concentration of PVA and high volume of H(2)O are significantly weaker than those synthesised with higher concentrations of PVA. The thermal analysis shows distinct endotherms and provides evidence of crystallisation. The chemical structure of the hydrogels was confirmed by means of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology and Materials Research, Athlone Institute of Technology, Athlone, Westmeath, Ireland. tsmith@ait.ie
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Clement L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Higginbotham
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D055682:Viscoelastic Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D055682:Viscoelastic Substances; D014867:Water; C006903:carbopol 940; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol