Electron-beam generated porous dextran gels: Experimental and quantum chemical studies

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this work was to investigate the reaction mechanism of electron-beam generated macroporous dextran cryogels by quantum chemical calculation and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements.

Methods: Electron-beam radiation was used to initiate the cross-linking reaction of methacrylated dextran in semifrozen aqueous solutions. The pore morphology of the resulting cryogels was visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Quantum chemical calculations and electron paramagnetic resonance studies provided information on the most probable reaction pathway and the chain growth radicals.

Results: The most probable reaction pathway was a ring opening reaction and the addition of a C-atom to the double-bond of the methacrylated dextran molecule.

Conclusions: First detailed quantum chemical calculation on the reaction mechanism of electron-beam initiated cross-linking reaction of methacrylated dextran are presented.

Keywords::

• Electron-beam irradiation
• dextran
• cryogel
• quantum chemical calculation
• electron paramagnetic resonance
• biodegradability

Acknowledgements

This work is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Dr. Clemens von Sonntag. The authors thank the German Research Foundation (Project: RE 3184/1-1) for financial support. Mrs Prager is acknowledged for SEM imaging and Mr Konieczny for the electron-beam irradiation.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.