Gianna Cojazzi

Mechanical and thermal properties of gelatin films at different degrees of glutaraldehyde crosslinking

The mechanical, thermal, swelling and release properties of glutaraldehyde (GTA) crosslinked gelatin films have been investigated in order to verify the influence of GTA concentration on the stability of the films. Air-dried films were submitted to treatment with GTA solutions at concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 2.5 wt%. At the smallest GTA concentration, the crosslinking degree, determined by trinitrobenzensulfonic acid assay, amounts to about 60% and increases up to values near 100%, obtained with GTA concentrations > or = 1 wt%. Simultaneously, the deformability of the films decreases, whereas the stress at break, sigmab, and the Youngs modulus, E, increase. A crosslinking degree of about 85%, obtained using 0.25% GTA, is enough to prevent gelatin release in buffer solution and to provoke a significant reduction of the swelling in physiological solution. Furthermore, crosslinking greatly affects the thermal stability of the samples, as indicated by the results of differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.) investigation carried out on wet and air-dried films. The data suggest that the use of GTA at low concentration, which is desiderable to prevent toxicity, allows to modulate the physico-chemical properties of gelatin films, in order to obtain stable materials with a wide range of possible biomedical applications.

Stabilization of gelatin films by crosslinking with genipin

The possibility to stabilize gelatin films by crosslinking with genipin was investigated through a mechanical, chemical and thermal characterization of samples treated with genipin solutions at different concentrations. The extent of crosslinking, evaluated as difference between the number of free epsilon -amino groups before and after crosslinking, increases as a function of genipin concentration up to about 85%. Simultaneously, the deformability of the films decreases whereas the Youngs modulus E, increases. Furthermore, crosslinking provokes a significant reduction of the swelling in physiological solution, and enhances the thermal stability of the samples, as indicated by the results of the d.s.c. investigation. The data obtained from the films treated with genipin at concentrations higher than 0.67% are quite similar, and indicative of a good stabilizing effect of genipin. In spite of the small gelatin release (2%) observed after 1 month of storage in buffer solution, the mechanical, thermal and swelling properties of the films are very close to those previously obtained for glutaraldehyde crosslinked gelatin, and suggest that genipin, which is by far less cytotoxic, can be considered a valid alternative for crosslinking gelatin biomaterials.

Chemical and structural characterization of the mineral phase from cortical and trabecular bone

X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and chemical investigations have been carried out on the inorganic phases from rat cortical and trabecular bone. Although both inorganic phases consist of poorly crystalline B carbonated apatite, several significant differences have been observed. In particular, trabecular bone apatite displays reduced crystallite sizes, Ca/P molar ratio, and carbonate content, and exhibits a greater extent of thermal conversion into beta-tricalcium phosphate than cortical bone apatite. These differences can be related to the different extents of collagen posttranslational modifications exhibited by the two types of bone, in agreement with their different biological functions.

Nanocrystals of magnesium and fluoride substituted hydroxyapatite

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals synthetized in the presence of different concentrations of magnesium and fluoride ions in solutions--1, 5 and 10 at.% have been submitted to a structural and chemical characterization. The syntheses were carried out in the presence of low molecular weight polyacrylic acid, which has been verified to inhibit hydroxyapatite crystallization. The polyelectrolyte is adsorbed into the crystals during the synthesis and provokes a reduction of the mean crystal sizes. The reduction is greater along the direction orthogonal to the c-axis, suggesting a preferential adsorption of the polyelectrolyte on the crystalline faces parallel to the c-axis. Both magnesium and fluoride can be incorporated into the hydroxyapatite structure. On the basis of the values of the lattice constants and of the magnesium relative content of the solid phase, it can be suggested that probably just a part of magnesium is substituted for calcium, the remainder being adsorbed on the crystal surface. However, magnesium destabilizes the apatitic structure favouring its thermal conversion into beta-tricalcium phosphate, and displays an inhibiting effect on the crystallization of hydroxyapatite. This last effect is enhanced by the simultaneous presence of polyacrylic acid. Fluoride substitution for hydroxyl ions into hydroxyapatite structure induces a slight increase of the crystal sizes along the c-axis direction. The data indicate that the experimental approach can be successfully used to prepare nanoapatite with crystallinity, crystal dimensions, composition, structure and stability very close to those characteristics of biological apatites.

Design of organometallic molecular and ionic materials

Abstract Organometallic crystal engineering is the modeling, synthesis, characterization and evaluation of crystalline materials constituted by organometallic molecules and ions. The properties of solids containing transition metal complexes are distinct and diverse from those of purely organic systems as well as from those of inorganic materials. In particular, while the periphery of (most) organometallic molecules are ‘organic’ in nature, since the outer atoms are usually those of the ligands, the ‘cores’ are formed by transition metal atoms in their (often variable) spin and charge states. These characteristics can be exploited to make crystalline materials with predefined physical properties as well as to organize organometallic molecules in complex supramolecular structures for absorption and desorption of solvent molecules. The possibility of utilizing the same building blocks in different ionic conditions (including neutral, e.g. in molecular crystals) permits tuning of the intermolecular bonding capacity via acid-base reactions. Organometallic polymorphism is discussed as a possibility for preparing and interconverting crystalline isomers. Pseudo-polymorphism is shown to be advantageous for the preparation of elusive crystal forms.

Drawn gelatin films with improved mechanical properties

Chain anisotropic distribution in gelatin films has been obtained by uniaxial stretching at constant relative humidity, followed by air drying and successive cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The drawn samples have been characterized by mechanical tests, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. The Youngs modulus, E, and the stress at break, sigma(b), increase linearly with the draw ratio and reach values which are about five times those characteristic of undrawn samples. Furthermore, on stretching the alignment of the gelatin strands along the direction of deformation increases while the thickness of the layers decreases significantly. The renaturation level, that is the fraction of gelatin in a collagen-like structure, has been calculated as the ratio between the melting enthalpy of gelatin samples and that of tendon collagen. The results indicate that the improvement of mechanical properties achieved by drawn gelatin is closely related to the renaturation level. The experimental approach utilized to induce segmental orientation in gelatin films, allows to obtain anisotropic materials with improved mechanical properties in the direction of deformation, and can be usefully applied in the preparation of biomaterials.

Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction study of tendon collagen thermal denaturation

Abstract Differential scanning calorimetry, high and small angle X-ray diffraction analyses have been carried out on air-dried and rehydrated rat tail tendon collagen in order to test the reversibility of collagen thermal denaturation. The mean enthalpy values calculated for the denaturation process of air-dried and rehydrated samples are ΔH D = 9.0 ± 0.8 cal / g and ΔH D = 11.9 ±0.7 cal / g respectively, while the denaturation temperatures are T D = 112 ± 1° C and T D = 51 ± 1° C . Partial reversibility of the coiled coil—random coil process can be obtained by storing the samples in air or more rapidly by equilibration in water. After denaturation air-dried collagen fibres recover not only their molecular structure but also their characteristic fibrillar structure. The latter does not greatly influence the mean experimental enthalpy values.

Structural and Mechanical Properties of Crosslinked Drawn Gelatin Films

Differential scanning calorimetry and high angle X-ray diffraction analyses were performed on gelatin films, air dried at different values of constant elongation, crosslinked with glutaraldehyde and examined at constant relative humidity of 75%. Drawing induces a preferential orientation of the chain segments of gelatin parallel to the stretching direction,and a linear increase of the renaturation level, calculated as the ratio between the denaturationenthalpy of gelatin films and that of tendon collagen. The comparison with the results previously obtained on the mechanical properties of the films, puts into evidence the different contributions of orientation and renaturation on the improvement of the mechanical parameters on drawing. The results offer important information on the role of glutaraldehyde (GTA) crosslinking on the stability of collagenous materials.

Structural analysis of turkey tendon collagen upon removal of the inorganic phase.

Calcified leg flexor tendons in which the inorganic phase content had been lowered by progressive demineralization were studied by small angle X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry. The X-ray diffraction results agree very well with the data previously obtained on calcified turkey tendon indicating that the method used to decalcify tendons provides good correspondence with the process of calcification. Up to five thermal processes can be detected in the thermogravimetric scans: (1) water release; (2) collagen decomposition; (3 and 4) combustion of the residual organic components; (5) carbonate removal from the apatitic phase. The temperature of collagen decomposition decreases at lower inorganic phase content in agreement with the higher thermal stability of calcified collagen fibrils compared with uncalcified ones. The decrease of collagen thermal stability upon decalification is paralleled by a decrease of the structural order of the collagen fibrils as indicated by small angle X-ray diffraction data. Decalcification down to about 40% wt of inorganic phase does not significantly alter the inorganic blocks that are regularly arranged inside the gap zone of the collagen. Further removal of inorganic phase down to about 15% wt provokes a variation of the intensity distribution of the small angle meridional reflections that can be ascribed to a reduction of the mean height of the inorganic blocks. At inorganic phase contents below 15% wt the gap region is more free to contract upon air drying as a result of the reduction of the mean length of the inorganic blocks.

Synthesis and hydrolysis of octacalcium phosphate: effect of sodium polyacrylate

Abstract A structural and morphological investigation has been carried out on octacalcium phosphate (OCP) synthesized in aqueous solution in the presence of different concentrations of sodium polyacrylate (NaPA) (from 0.375 to 5 μM). The presence of the polyelectrolyte inhibits the crystallization of OCP and reduces significantly the coherence length of the perfect crystalline domains. The inhibition of the crystal growth along the directions corresponding to the crystallographic axes is almost isotropic and indicates no preferential regular interaction of polyacrylate with the structure of OCP. In agreement, the lattice constants of OCP do not change as a function of the concentration of the polyelectrolyte, which is not significantly adsorbed on the crystals. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of OCP display the presence of spherules and double spheres. The elongated blades which constitute the spherules and the walls of the hollow spheres become shorter with increase in NaPA concentration. OCP has been submitted to hydrolysis at pH 7.4 and 60°C. The hydrolysis is inhibited by NaPA, which prevents the transformation into hydroxyapatite. The results of IR absorption and thermogravimetric analyses (TG-DTG) indicate that the polyelectrolyte is significantly adsorbed on the products of hydrolysis. Adsorption increases on increasing NaPA concentration in solution up to about 22 wt.%, and it probably takes place through interaction between carboxylate ions and the hydrated layers of the (100) face of the OCP structure.