Eco-friendly Oxidized Microcrystalline Cellulose/Quaternized Chitosan/Gelatin Hydrogels based on Schiff-base Reaction as Wound Dressing and Naringin Release Kinetic

Abstract Use of by-product waste from farm products to prepare clinical dressings is a resource-saving and eco-friendly approach. In this research, a series of pH-sensitive hydrogels composited with oxidized microcrystalline celluloseisolated from pineapple peel, quaternized chitosan isolated from hericium erinaceus residue and gelatin were prepared based on Schiff-base reaction.The structures of the prepared hydrogels were characterized by FT-IR, XRD and SEM, the absorption peak at around 1656 cm− 1 (due to –C = N–) and the disappeared peak at 1726 cm− 1(due to –CHO) in composite hydrogel confirmed Schiff-base reaction occurred. XRD and SEM results showed the composite hydrogels have good compatibility and well-cross linked. A series of experiments were performed to investigate the blood clotting activity and physicochemical property. It was found that the composite hydrogels can make shrink and expansion behaviors in different pH environments, and exhibited adjustable in swelling ability (up to 4383%), water evaporation rate, gel time and mechanical property as change of gelatin content. The oxidized microcrystalline cellulose/quaternized chitosan/gelatin (OMQCS-G) hydrogel showed well coagulation effect and controlled release of the loaded naringin, naringin release of OMQCS-G5 reached more than 70% within initial 6 hours, suggesting the potential of the prepared hydrogel used as wound dressing.