Commercial chitosan with high molecular weight and degree of deacetylation were successfully dissolved in 7% KOH/8% LiOH/8% urea aqueous solution via freezing-thawing process, for the first time, and then novel chitosan hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties and extremely pH-sensitive properties were facilely constructed in the alkaline solvent system. On the basis of their excellent performances, a robust hydrogel reinforced by chitosan microgels were prepared, which could be stretched to 20 times of original length, and completely recovered after removing external force. Moreover, a chitosan-based reversible bidirectional self-rolled bilayer hydrogel triggered by pH changing was constructed via combining chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose to form a janus hydrogel sheet. At low pH, rolling process of the hydrogel was quickly, whereas a high pH, the hydrogel was rolled to the opposite direction. These novel hydrogels would have application potentials in the field of tissue engineering.

High strength chitosan hydrogels fabricated from alkaline aqueous solution

249th National Meeting (2015)

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