2023 AIChE Annual Meeting

Enhancing the Strength of Pluronic F127 Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications: Investigating the Complexities of Alginate Integration

Our research focuses on the combination of alginate and Pluronic F127, two hydrogels with distinct properties. The challenge we sought to address in this study is how to enhance the strength of the Pluronic F127 gel for applications like wound healing. To achieve this, we aimed to combine Pluronic F127 with alginate, however, the process of effectively integrating alginate with Pluronic F127 presents complexities that require investigation.

The primary goal of our study was to optimize the protocol for creating blended gels of alginate and Pluronic F127. Specifically, we aimed to determine the most effective concentration levels for Pluronic F127 and the best approach to integrate alginate into the system to strengthen the resulting gel.

To achieve this aim, previous researchers in our group employed a protocol of soaking alginate gels in a sequence of Pluronic F127 solutions with concentrations of 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, and 30% over a seven-day period. In this work, we modified the process to explore concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30%. This adjustment allowed us to assess the effect of concentration shifts on the gel's stability. We also utilized rheology to analyze the resulting materials and characterize their properties.

Our findings revealed that the sudden concentration increase from 20% to 30% in Pluronic F127 caused some issues with the stability of the hydrogel, leading to the appearance of outlier data points, underscoring the challenges of integrating alginate with Pluronic F127 and the need for further investigation.

In conclusion, our study highlights the complexities of combining alginate and Pluronic F127 to create robust gels. While the addition of alginate shows promise for enhancing material strength, the process remains delicate and prone to variations. Additional research is required to optimize the integration process and ensure the reliability of the resulting materials.

This study is significant for the development of biomaterials, particularly in the field of hydrogels for applications like wound healing. Understanding how to enhance the strength of Pluronic F127 gels through the incorporation of alginate can pave the way for more effective biomedical applications. Moreover, our investigation contributes to the broader understanding of material properties and the challenges involved in combining different types of materials for specific purposes.