Structure, rheological properties, and biocompatibility of Laponite® cross-linked starch/polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels

Hydrogels, owing to their unique porous structures, hydrophilic properties, and biocompatibility, are being developed as scaffolds for bone grafts. However, the use of toxic initiators or cross-linking agents is a drawback. To overcome this, we developed Laponite (R)/cross-linked starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels prepared by one-step solution mixing. The structure, rheological properties, and biocompatibility of the hydrogels were investigated. Zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions jointly maintained the structure of the cross-linked hydrogel systems. At a Laponite (R) concentration of 10 %, the hydrogel with a starch/PVA ratio of 2:2 exhibited a uniform porous structure, the highest storage modulus (G'), and the lowest degradation rate. At a starch/PVA ratio of 2:2, the G' increased; however, the degradation rate decreased with the increase in Laponite (R) content from 5 % to 20 %. These results indicate that the mechanical strength and degradation rate of the hydrogels could be adjusted by altering the starch/PVA ratio and the amount of Laponite (R). In vitro cytotoxicity experiments showed that the Laponite (R)/starch/PVA (LSP) hydrogels were non-toxic to MC3T3-E1 cells. The starch/PVA ratio had no obvious effect on the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells, but an increase in Laponite (R) content significantly promoted cell proliferation. In summary, the results suggest that these LSP hydrogels have great potential for applications in bone tissue engineering.