Exploring the Blends' Miscibility of a Novel Chitosan Derivative with Enhanced Antioxidant Properties; Prospects for 3D Printing Biomedical Applications

Georgia Michailidou; Alexandra Zamboulis; Dimitrios N Bikiaris

doi:10.3390/md21070370

Exploring the Blends' Miscibility of a Novel Chitosan Derivative with Enhanced Antioxidant Properties; Prospects for 3D Printing Biomedical Applications

Mar Drugs. 2023 Jun 22;21(7):370. doi: 10.3390/md21070370.

Authors

Georgia Michailidou¹, Alexandra Zamboulis¹, Dimitrios N Bikiaris¹

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Polymer and Colors Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece.

Abstract

Chitosan is a polysaccharide vastly examined in polymer science for its unique structure. In the present study, CS was derivatized with 2-methoxy-4vinylphenol (MVP) in four different ratios through a free radical reaction. The CS-MVP derivatives were characterized through FTIR, 1H-NMR, XRD, swelling, and solubility measurements. Owing to the enhanced antioxidant character of the MVP monomer, the antioxidant activity of the CS-MVP derivatives was assessed. In the optimum CS-MVP ratio, blends between CS and CS-MVP were prepared in ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, 20:80, and 10:90 w/w, and their miscibility was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and viscosity measurements. In the optimum ratios, highly concentrated inks were prepared, and their viscosity measurements revealed the successful formation of highly viscous gels with shear thinning behavior. These inks could be appropriate candidates for biomedical and drug delivery applications.

Keywords: 3D printing; chitosan derivative; miscibility; polymer blends.

MeSH terms

Antioxidants / pharmacology
Chitosan* / chemistry
Drug Delivery Systems
Polymers / chemistry
Printing, Three-Dimensional
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

Substances

Chitosan
Antioxidants
Polymers

Grants and funding

The implementation of this doctoral thesis was co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Social Fund-ESF) through the Operational Programme “Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning” in the context of the Act “Enhancing Human Resources Research Potential by undertaking a Doctoral Research,” Sub-action 2: IKY Scholarship Programme for PhD candidates in Greek universities implemented by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY).