Characterization of Semi-Interpenetrated Network Alginate/Gelatin Wound Dressing Crosslinked at Sol Phas

Gel contraction of alginate during ionic crosslinking at sol phase was reduced by blending with gelatin solution due to intermolecular interaction and chain entanglement. The semi - interpenetrated network (semi - IPN) of wound ressing hydrogels were p repared by overlaid lginate/gelatin blend with 1.0% (w/w) CaCl 2 solution under ambient emperature for 2 h. Results showed that gel contraction was significantly reduced with increasing gelatin content i.e. from 40.5 ± 5.8% for pure alginate to as low as 5.8 ± 1.2% for alginate/gelatin of 1:7 (w/w). It eems that gelatin successfully inhibited alginate hains mobility during their network re - arrangement by a Ca 2+ cation. The FTIR spectra of hydrogels showed a ombination of characteristic vibration of algi nate and gelatin. Increasing gelatin content also gnificantly improved elasticity and tensile strength at break of dried hydrogels. Swelling kinetics of dried hydrogels were fitted with Schott’s second - order power - law model. Increasing gelatin fraction increased the swelling rate while decreased the swelling at quilibrium. Their absorptive capacity w as of the interval for management of moderate to heavily exudating wound.