@article {20558,
	title = {Innovative methodology for marine collagen-chitosan-fucoidan hydrogels production, tailoring rheological properties towards biomedical application},
	journal = {Green Chemistry},
	year = {2021},
	month = {2021-08-20 00:00:00},
	pages = {1-14},
	publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry},
	abstract = {<p class="RSCB01ARTAbstract">Marine polymers such as collagen, chitosan, and fucoidan can be combined to form ionic-linked hydrogel networks towards applications in tissue engineering (TE). The use of greener approaches (as determined by green metrics {\textendash} <em>E</em>-factor), including the absence of external chemical cross-linking agents, has advantages regarding the potential cytotoxicity. By tailoring the formulation of such an ionic-linked hydrogel, it is possible to fine-tune scaffold biofunctionality. In this study, a comparative study of composite hydrogels was accomplished, seeking to understand the correlation between polymer characteristics and physical behaviour to develop the applicability of this technology in soft-to-hard TE. Parameters such as polymer concentration, molecular weight, polymer-biomaterials bonds, biomaterial structural architecture, pore size, and mechanical rheological properties were directly correlated to the hydrogel{\textquoteright}s formulation. The results highlight that the formulation with greatest potential was the 3-component hydrogel (H<sub>12</sub>, followed by H<sub>10</sub>, H<sub>11</sub>), due to its superior mechanical properties, making it suitable for cartilage TE. This research offers a valuable perspective on hydrogel formulation and a new processing methodology, as well as how tailoring the hydrogel composition influences mechanical behaviour to support selecting the best composition for tissue engineering applications.</p>},
	keywords = {cartilage tissue engineering, Gel strength, marine biomaterials, Marine origin biopolymers, Mechanical Properties},
	issn = {1463-9270},
	doi = {10.1039/D1GC02223G},
	url = {https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/gc/d1gc02223g},
	author = {Carvalho, D. N. and Gon{\c c}alves, C. and Oliveira, J. M. and Willliams, D. and Mearns Spragg, A. and Reis, R. L. and Silva, T. H.}
}
