Corina Clejanu

Master student

Alginate-based hydrogels containing bioactive glass particles for 3D bioprinting

 

Supervisors: Faina Bider, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Composite materials are engineered materials consisting of a matrix and reinforcements, with the purpose of combining the individual properties of the components in one material [1] [2]. Alginate based hydrogels are water-swollen, crosslinked three-dimensional polymeric structures, which can simulate the structure of an extracellular matrix (ECM), having similar properties such as hydrophilicity, high water uptake, porosity, variable stiffness and therefore making them suitable to be used as matrix material in the field of tissue engineering [3]. However, alginate has a relatively high molecular weight and therefore a low degradation behavior [4]. To overcome this drawback the oxidized form alginate dialdehyde (ADA) is used in this thesis. Bioactive glass has been widely used in the field of tissue engineering, especially for bone regeneration, as it induces bone growth [5]. The aim of this Master thesis is to combine alginate-based hydrogels with different types of bioactive glass particles, analyse and characterize the resulted composite materials and asses their suitability for medical applications in the field of tissue engineering.

[1] S. Ogin, P. Brøndsted and J. Zangenberg, “1 – Composite materials: constituents, architecture, and generic damage,” in Modelling Damage, Fatigue and Failure of Composite Materials, Woodhead Publishing, 2016, pp. 3-23.

[2] V. V. Vasiliev and E. V. Morozov, “Introduction,” in Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structures, Elsevier, 2018, pp. xvii-xxv.

[3] M. M. Rana and H. De la Hoz Siegler, “Tuning the Properties of PNIPAm-Based Hydrogel Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Engineering,” Polymers, vol. 13, no. 18, 2021.

[4] S. Reakasame and A. R. Boccaccini, “Oxidized Alginate-Based Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Applications: A Review,” pp. 3-21, 8 January 2018.

[5] L.-C. Gerhardt and A. R. Boccaccini, “Review – Bioactive Glass and Glass-Ceramic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering,” Materials, pp. 3867-3910, 2010.