Tailored alginate and chitosan hydrogels: Structural control and functional applications via copper-based electrodeposition

This study explores the development and characterization of copper-based hydrogels synthesized using an electrodeposition method. Alginate and chitosan were used as natural polymers, each with distinct structural and functional characteristics. The electrodeposition conditions, such as current density and deposition time, were systematically varied to investigate their effects on hydrogel morphology, cross-link density and mesh size. The results showed that alginate-based hydrogels form more extensive networks with copper ions through interactions with carboxylate groups, resulting in a higher cross-link density, whereas chitosan-based hydrogels form a more open structure. The addition of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was found to modulate the mechanical properties and increase the network's flexibility, expanding the potential applications of these hydrogels. Effective diffusion studies of model molecules highlighted the significant influence of mesh size and cross-link density on permeability, demonstrating the hydrogels' suitability for applications requiring precise control over molecular transport. A DoE (Design of Experiments) approach further enabled the systematic optimization of these parameters, ensuring reproducibility and scalability in achieving the desired hydrogel properties for industrial and biomedical applications.