Wet and dry cellulose gels and cryogels were prepared via cellulose dissolution in 8 wt% NaOH-water, physical gelation or chemical cross-linking with epichlorohydrin (ECH), coagulation in water and lyophilisation /Ciolacu et al, Physically and chemically cross-linked cellulose cryogels: Structure, properties and application for controlled release, Carbohydrate Polymers 151 (2016) 392–400/. Cellulose and cross-linker concentrations were varied. The rheological behaviour of gelling solutions, of gels upon coagulation and the swelling of cryogels in water were analysed. An anomalous high swelling at a cross-linker concentration around stoichiometric molar ratio with cellulose was observed. The influence of chemical cross-linking on cellulose swelling was explained by suggesting that ECH acts as a spacer preventing cellulose chains tight packing during coagulation. Cellulose cryogel morphology, crystallinity and density were studied. Gels were loaded with a model drug, procaine hydrochloride, and the kinetics of its release was investigated.

Cellulose gels and cryogels via physical and chemical cross-linking

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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