Development of chitosan/β-glycerophosphate/glycerol hydrogel as a thermosensitive coupling agent

Chih-Ling Huang; Yu-Bin Chen; Yu-Lung Lo; Yi-Hsiang Lin

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.04.028

Development of chitosan/β-glycerophosphate/glycerol hydrogel as a thermosensitive coupling agent

Carbohydr Polym. 2016 Aug 20:147:409-414. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.04.028. Epub 2016 Apr 8.

Authors

Chih-Ling Huang¹, Yu-Bin Chen², Yu-Lung Lo³, Yi-Hsiang Lin⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Center for Fundamental Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan. Electronic address: ybchen@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan.

PMID: 27178947
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.04.028

Abstract

This work develops a dual-function thermosensitive hydrogel to prevent overheating, a side effect of focused ultrasound therapy. The proposed hydrogel has the components of chitosan, β-glycerophosphate, and glycerol. Its thermosensitive sol-to-gel transition gives an instant signal of overheating without the need of any awkward sensing device. Impacts of varying component concentrations on the sol-to-gel temperature, rate, and degree of transparency are also investigated. Chemical structures and ultrasonic coefficients after heating are obtained with a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultrasonic measurement, respectively. Optimized formula of the proposed hydrogel is 0.5% chitosan, 5% β-glycerophosphate, and 25% glycerol. This hydrogel has a high acoustic impedance (Z=1.8 Mrayl) close to that of human skin, high ultrasonic transmission (T=99%, which is normalized to water) from 25 to 55°C, and low attenuation coefficient (α=4.0Np/m). These properties assure the success of dual functions of the hydrogel developed in this work.

Keywords: Acetic acid (PubChem CID: 176); Chitosan; Chitosan (PubChem CID: 71853); Coupling agent; Glycerol; Glycerol (PubChem CID: 753); Thermosensitive hydrogel; Ultrasonic; β-glycerophosphate; β-glycerophosphate (PubChem CID: 6101544).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chitosan / chemistry*
Glycerol / chemistry*
Glycerophosphates / chemistry*
Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate
Hydrogels / chemistry*
Temperature
Ultrasonic Therapy / instrumentation*

Substances

Glycerophosphates
Hydrogels
Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate
Chitosan
Glycerol
beta-glycerophosphoric acid