Jeffrey P. Maranchi

Synthesis and properties of regenerated cellulose-based hydrogels with high strength and transparency for potential use as an ocular bandage

Cellulose is a biologically derived material with excellent wound-healing properties. The high strength of cellulose fibers and the ability to synthesize gels with high optical transparency make these materials suitable for ocular applications. In this study, cellulose materials derived from wood pulp, cotton, and bacterial sources were dissolved in lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide to form regenerated cellulose hydrogels. Material properties of the resulting hydrogels, including water content, optical transparency, and tensile and tear strengths, were evaluated. Synthesis parameters, including activation time, dissolution time, relative humidity, and cellulose concentration, were found to impact the material properties of the resulting hydrogels. Overnight activation time improves the optical transparency of the hydrogels from 77% to 97% at 550 nm, whereas controlling cellulose concentration improves their tear strength by as much as 200%. On the basis of the measured transmittance and strength values of the regenerated hydrogels prepared via the optimized synthesis parameters, Avicel PH 101, Sigma-Aldrich microcrystalline cellulose 435236, and bacterial cellulose types were prioritized for future biocompatibility testing and potential clinical investigation.

Evaluation of the biocompatibility of regenerated cellulose hydrogels with high strength and transparency for ocular applications

Prompt emergency treatment for ocular injury, particularly in a battlefield setting, is essential to preserve vision, reduce pain, and prevent secondary infection. A bandage contact lens that could be applied in the field, at the time of injury, would protect the injured ocular surface until hospital treatment is available. Cellulose, a natural polymer, is widely used in biomedical applications including bandage materials. Hydrogels synthesized from different cellulose sources, such as plants, cotton, and bacteria, can have the optical transparency and mechanical strength of contact lenses, by tailoring synthesis parameters. Thus, we optimized the fabrication of cellulose-based hydrogels and evaluated their in vivo biocompatibility and related physical properties. Our data demonstrate that along with tailorable physical properties, our novel cellulose-based hydrogels could be made with contact lens geometry, exhibit no significant signs of material toxicity after 22 days of in vivo testing, and show significant promise for use as a corneal bandage immediately following ocular trauma.

Fibre-reinforced hydrogels with high optical transparency

Abstract Fibre-reinforced hydrogels with high optical transparency are an emerging composite material with great promise to enable new applications, such as a transparent wound dressing with custom tuned mechanical properties that provides desirable mechanical and physical properties along with optical clarity for facile wound inspection. Stand-alone hydrogels are an important class of materials comprising a cross-linked polymer network surrounded by a water matrix. However, their mechanical properties are typically very modest compared with other materials. While significant research is going on in parallel in the fields of hydrogels and reinforcement fibres, researchers are only starting to scratch the surface of the possibilities of combining the two. This report provides a review of natural and synthetic reinforcement fibre research with special emphasis placed on nanofibres. These provide the added benefit of transparency by being much smaller than the wavelength of visible light. A review of hydrogel materials is also presented. The mechanical properties, optical properties and biological functionality of hydrogel systems are also described. Ocular, load-bearing tissue, wound management and sensing/device applications are all discussed. Transparent fibre-reinforced hydrogels provide a compelling potential solution to enable advanced functionality, in particular in the wound care and optical application areas.

Banded structures in collagen vitrigels for corneal injury repair.

There is a growing interest in using collagen vitrigels for corneal injury repair. We recently reported the synthesis and thermal denaturation behavior of these gels. In this paper, the banded structure in these vitrified gels is studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) one-dimensional (1-D) correlation function analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results demonstrate that the collagen vitrigel possess banded structures similar to those of the starting type I collagen, with an average D-spacing of 64nm (by SAXS) or 57nm (by TEM). A combination of SAXS 1-D correlation function analyses and TEM show that overlap and gap distances ranged from 30 to 33nm and from 23 to 25nm, respectively. Changing the vitrification condition does not impact on the banded structure significantly.

Electrofluidic systems for contrast management

Operating in dynamic lighting conditions and in greatly varying backgrounds is challenging. Current paints and state-ofthe- art passive adaptive coatings (e.g. photochromics) are not suitable for multi- environment situations. A semi-active, low power, skin is needed that can adapt its reflective properties based on the background environment to minimize contrast through the development and incorporation of suitable pigment materials. Electrofluidic skins are a reflective display technology for electronic ink and paper applications. The technology is similar to that in E Ink but makes use of MEMS based microfluidic structures, instead of simple black and white ink microcapsules dispersed in clear oil. Electrofluidic skins low power operation and fast switching speeds (~20 ms) are an improvement over current state-ofthe- art contrast management technologies. We report on a microfluidic display which utilizes diffuse pigment dispersion inks to change the contrast of the underlying substrate from 5.8% to 100%. Voltage is applied and an electromechanical pressure is used to pull a pigment dispersion based ink from a hydrophobic coated reservoir into a hydrophobic coated surface channel. When no voltage is applied, the Young-Laplace pressure pushes the pigment dispersion ink back down into the reservoir. This allows the pixel to switch from the on and off state by balancing the two pressures. Taking a systems engineering approach from the beginning of development has enabled the technology to be integrated into larger systems.