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A facile in situ morphological characterization of smart genipin-crosslinked chitosan–poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) hydrogels

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Abstract

Stable, responsive and autofluorescent genipin-crosslinked chitosan–poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) hydrogels have been synthesized. Morphological characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, and in situ confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), in both reflectance and fluorescence modes, have been compared for their suitability to characterize the network structure of these hydrogels. CLSM is shown to be the optimal technique owing to the facile generation of the three-dimensional porous architecture and extra topographical information while the sample is immersed in the aqueous solution to which it will find application. CLSM is used in both reflectance and fluorescence modes to follow morphology variation as a function of time during swelling. Conveniently, acquisition via reflectance produces images with a higher degree of structural detail than fluorescence, widening the application of this method to characterize hydrogels where addition of a fluorescent probe, which may alter the native structure, is undesired.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Grant No. EP/H003908/1 for funding this research. G.A.H would also like to acknowledge the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials for funding his PhD studies. We are grateful to A. Lane for the use of FD equipment, T. Davey and B. Walker of the Electron Microscopy Research Services at Newcastle University for their assistance with SEM imaging, P Carrick of the Advanced Material and Chemical Analysis facility for ESEM imaging, and T. Booth and A. Laude of the Bio-Imaging Unit at Newcastle University for their help with confocal microscopy studies.

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  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Glenn A. Hurst & Katarina Novakovic

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  1. Glenn A. Hurst
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  2. Katarina Novakovic
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Correspondence to Glenn A. Hurst.

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Hurst, G.A., Novakovic, K. A facile in situ morphological characterization of smart genipin-crosslinked chitosan–poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) hydrogels. Journal of Materials Research 28, 2401–2408 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2013.134

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