Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation
Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that aims to address tissue and organ failure by integrating scientific, engineering, and medial expertise. Gelatin is valued in this field for its biocompatibility; however, it faces thermal and mechanical weaknesses that limit its biomedical utility....
| Authors: | ; ; ; ; ; |
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| Format: | Article |
| Status: | Published version |
| Publication date: | 2026 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
| Repository: | idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dnet:idus________::479af966c20823d87925542f4facf3bd |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11441/184817 https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020289 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Biopolymer Diels–Alder Gelatin Hydrogel Interpenetrating polymer network Tissue engineering |
| _version_ | 1878739909142904833 |
|---|---|
| author | Grosso, Roberto |
| author2 | Díaz-Carrasco, Fátima Vidal-Nogales, Elena Paz Báñez, María Violante de Díaz-Blanco, M. Jesús Benito Hernández, Elena María |
| author2_role | author author author author author |
| author_browse | Benito Hernández, Elena María Díaz-Blanco, M. Jesús Díaz-Carrasco, Fátima Grosso, Roberto Paz Báñez, María Violante de Vidal-Nogales, Elena |
| author_facet | Grosso, Roberto Díaz-Carrasco, Fátima Vidal-Nogales, Elena Paz Báñez, María Violante de Díaz-Blanco, M. Jesús Benito Hernández, Elena María |
| author_role | author |
| collection | idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
| description | Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that aims to address tissue and organ failure by integrating scientific, engineering, and medial expertise. Gelatin is valued in this field for its biocompatibility; however, it faces thermal and mechanical weaknesses that limit its biomedical utility. This work proposes a strategy for improving gelatin properties by fabricating semi-interpenetrating polymer networks via in situ Diels–Alder crosslinking within gelatin colloidal solutions. Ten systems with variable polymer concentrations (2–4%) and crosslinking degrees (2–5%) were prepared and characterized. Rheological analysis revealed that elastic modulus, zero-shear viscosity, and complex viscosity were substantially enhanced, being especially dependent on the crosslinking degree, while critical strain values mostly depended on gelatin concentration. The incorporation of a synthetic Diels–Alder-crosslinked network also improved the thermal stability of gelatin hydrogels, particularly at physiological temperatures. Additionally, these systems exhibit favorable buoyancy, swelling and biodegradation profiles. Collectively, the resultant hydrogels are cytocompatible, solid-like, and mechanically robust, allowing for further tunability of their properties for specific biomedical uses, such as injectable matrices, load-bearing scaffolds for tissue repair, and 3D bioinks. |
| eu_rights_str_mv | openAccess |
| format | article |
| id | ES_ca3449c7a425976c42e3e6d7e495c2ae |
| institution | Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
| instname_str | Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
| network_acronym_str | ES |
| network_name_str | España |
| oai_identifier_str | oai:dnet:idus________::479af966c20823d87925542f4facf3bd |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) |
| publisherStr | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) |
| reponame_str | idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
| spelling | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation Grosso, Roberto Díaz-Carrasco, Fátima Vidal-Nogales, Elena Paz Báñez, María Violante de Díaz-Blanco, M. Jesús Benito Hernández, Elena María Biopolymer Diels–Alder Gelatin Hydrogel Interpenetrating polymer network Tissue engineering Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that aims to address tissue and organ failure by integrating scientific, engineering, and medial expertise. Gelatin is valued in this field for its biocompatibility; however, it faces thermal and mechanical weaknesses that limit its biomedical utility. This work proposes a strategy for improving gelatin properties by fabricating semi-interpenetrating polymer networks via in situ Diels–Alder crosslinking within gelatin colloidal solutions. Ten systems with variable polymer concentrations (2–4%) and crosslinking degrees (2–5%) were prepared and characterized. Rheological analysis revealed that elastic modulus, zero-shear viscosity, and complex viscosity were substantially enhanced, being especially dependent on the crosslinking degree, while critical strain values mostly depended on gelatin concentration. The incorporation of a synthetic Diels–Alder-crosslinked network also improved the thermal stability of gelatin hydrogels, particularly at physiological temperatures. Additionally, these systems exhibit favorable buoyancy, swelling and biodegradation profiles. Collectively, the resultant hydrogels are cytocompatible, solid-like, and mechanically robust, allowing for further tunability of their properties for specific biomedical uses, such as injectable matrices, load-bearing scaffolds for tissue repair, and 3D bioinks. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) https://hdl.handle.net/11441/184817 https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020289 |
| spellingShingle | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation Grosso, Roberto Biopolymer Diels–Alder Gelatin Hydrogel Interpenetrating polymer network Tissue engineering |
| status_str | publishedVersion |
| title | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation |
| title_full | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation |
| title_fullStr | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation |
| title_short | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation |
| title_sort | Design and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Biomedical Use: Rheological, Thermal, and Physicochemical Evaluation |
| topic | Biopolymer Diels–Alder Gelatin Hydrogel Interpenetrating polymer network Tissue engineering |
| topic_facet | Biopolymer Diels–Alder Gelatin Hydrogel Interpenetrating polymer network Tissue engineering |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/11441/184817 https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020289 |