Synthetic hydrogel composite
Cellulose-reinforced hydrogels may include a cellulose nanofiber network and an interstitial hydrogel portion within interstitial regions of the cellulose nanofiber network, the interstitial hydrogel portion comprising polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), wherein the hydrogel component has a crystallinity of 20% or greater.
1. A method of forming an implant having a cellulose-reinforced hydrogel, comprising:
attaching a cross-linked cellulose nanofiber network to a top bearing surface of the implant;
infiltrating a hydrogel component within interstitial regions of the cross-linked cellulose nanofiber network to form the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel; and
annealing the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel so that a crystalline content of the hydrogel component has a crystallinity of 20% or greater,
wherein the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel comprises at least 20% by weight of water,
wherein the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel has a tensile strength exceeding 40 MPa.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel component comprises polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein annealing the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel comprises heating the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel is heated to a temperature ranging from 90-140° C.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein annealing the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel comprises heating the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel to decrease a water content of the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein annealing the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel comprises rehydrating the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing an excess of the hydrogel component from a surface of the cross-linked cellulose nanofiber network.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the excess of the hydrogel component is removed by hand or by molding the cellulose-reinforced hydrogel.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cross-linked cellulose nanofiber network comprises bacterial cellulose (BC).
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the cross-linked cellulose nanofiber network to the top bearing surface comprises clamping the cross-linked cellulose nanofiber around a periphery of the top bearing surface.