Synthesis and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulose-Acrylamide Hydrogel

Abstract

Research and development of biomaterials, especially in areas of health are being conducted intensively. One type of biomaterials is hydrogel. Hydrogel are crosslinked hydrophilic polymers that can imbibe water or biological fluids. Related to the utilizing, development of hydrogels could be conducted, as a wound dressing application. The materials can be used to create the hydrogel are biopolymers, synthetic polymers, or it combination of both. The composite hydrogel between biopolymer and synthetic polymer will produce a superior material. The purpose of the research is to produce bacterial cellulose from pineapple waste matrices crosslinked with acrylamide to produce sheets of bacterial cellulose-acrylamide hydrogel (BC-AAm) for wound dressing application. BC-AAm hydrogels were made using irradiation methods, and it was initiated with the immersion of each BC sheets 10×10 cm2 in a solution of AAm with a composition in sequence 10, 12.5, and 15%. Mixed solution was irradiated through by gamma rays using various doses of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 kGy. Analysis crosslinking of BC-AAm hydrogels showed that the irradiation dose 40 kGy deliver value and performance gel fraction BC-AAm hydrogels the highest value. The highest value of gel fraction is 93% on the addition of AAm 12.5%. Performance of hydrogel was evaluated from the ratio of the swelling degree of water, NaCL solution, and mechanical properties. The swelling degree of BC-AAM hydrogel expands on the highest dose of irradiation is larger and faster than BC achieved either in the water or in a solution of NaCl. The swelling BC-AAm hydrogels at optimum irradiation dose in the water and in NaCl solution after the tenth hours was 432 and 376%, respectively. The mechanical properties of composite hydrogels was determined by treatment before and after immersion and its resulted differences is not too significant. BC-AAm hydrogels value of tensile strength and strain (46.3MPa and 36.6%) higher than BC (5,5 MPa dan 20.0%). Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) spectrum of hydrogel showed that AAm has been crosslinked in BC by irradiation gamma. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) topograph showed that AAm are crosslinked in the BC is heterogeneous and hydrogels BC-AAm more than elastic. This is consistent with the data in the hydrogel performance. From the results of DSC shows that melting point and transition glass BC-AAm (371.7 dan 325.8°C) better than BC (367.1 dan 371.7°C).