| 초록 |
A general and simple approach to prepare nanocomposite hydrogels is to create a nanoparticle suspension in a hydrogel-forming solution before gelation, which is called “simple mixing”. However, this approach has several drawbacks such as the low level of interaction between the polymer chains and nanoparticles and aggregation of nanoparticles within the hydrogel networks. Herein, we introduce an advanced procedure, called an “in situ precipitation process,” that produces uniform nanocomposite hydrogels with a high level of integration between the precipitated particles and hydrogel networks. This precipitation process results in nanocomposite hydrogel systems with greatly improved mechanical properties and even enhanced biocompatibility. We present this approach for the precipitation of bioceramic nanoparticles within various polysaccharide- based hydrogels, including hyaluronic acid (HA), which are representative hydrophilic polymers with high water uptake capability, and alginate (Alg). Especially HA–calcium phosphate (CaP) nanocomposite hydrogel systems are introduced, and the enhancements of their mechanical properties and biocompatibility compared with those of nanocomposites fabricated using conventional methods are systematically evaluated. In addition, The applications of this system to injectable dermal fillers and hydrogel wound dressings are introduced, and the HA–nanoHAp filler shows great potential as a soft tissue augmentation product by improving the biophysical and biological performance of skin tissue. |
