POS8-0854
Development of Polyrotaxane-Crosslinked Collagen Hydrogels with Enhanced Mechanical Properties via Movable Crosslinking Networks
Topic
S8. Frontiers of Functional Polymers in Biology and Medicine
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Wonbin Yi (Pusan National University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Collagen hydrogels are widely utilized as biomaterials because of their excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity. However, their limited mechanical strength and structural stability remain significant challenges for biomedical applications. In this study, an amine-functionalized α-cyclodextrin-based polyrotaxane (PRX-NH₂) was synthesized and applied as a crosslinking material for collagen hydrogels.
The chemical structure of PRX-NH₂ was characterized by NMR and FTIR analyses. Subsequently, collagen hydrogels crosslinked with PRX-NH₂ were prepared and evaluated in terms of swelling behavior and mechanical properties. Rheological measurements and tensile testing were conducted to investigate the effect of polyrotaxane incorporation on the viscoelasticity and mechanical performance of the hydrogels.
The polyrotaxane, as a dynamic movable crosslinker is expected to redistribute localized stress through the pulley effect, leading to improved mechanical properties while maintaining the intrinsic characteristics of collagen. This study demonstrates the potential of polyrotaxane-based crosslinking strategies for the development of mechanically robust collagen-based biomaterials.
The chemical structure of PRX-NH₂ was characterized by NMR and FTIR analyses. Subsequently, collagen hydrogels crosslinked with PRX-NH₂ were prepared and evaluated in terms of swelling behavior and mechanical properties. Rheological measurements and tensile testing were conducted to investigate the effect of polyrotaxane incorporation on the viscoelasticity and mechanical performance of the hydrogels.
The polyrotaxane, as a dynamic movable crosslinker is expected to redistribute localized stress through the pulley effect, leading to improved mechanical properties while maintaining the intrinsic characteristics of collagen. This study demonstrates the potential of polyrotaxane-based crosslinking strategies for the development of mechanically robust collagen-based biomaterials.
