Microscopic Structure of Swollen Hydrogels by Scanning Electron and Light Microscopies: Artifacts and Reality

Polymers
Zhansaya KaberovaMiroslava Dušková-Smrčková

Abstract

The exact knowledge of hydrogel microstructure, mainly its pore topology, is a key issue in hydrogel engineering. For visualization of the swollen hydrogels, the cryogenic or high vacuum scanning electron microscopies (cryo-SEM or HVSEM) are frequently used while the possibility of artifact-biased images is frequently underestimated. The major cause of artifacts is the formation of ice crystals upon freezing of the hydrated gel. Some porous hydrogels can be visualized with SEM without the danger of artifacts because the growing crystals are accommodated within already existing primary pores of the gel. In some non-porous hydrogels the secondary pores will also not be formed due to rigid network structure of gels that counteracts the crystal nucleation and growth. We have tested the limits of true reproduction of the hydrogel morphology imposed by the swelling degree and mechanical strength of gels by investigating a series of methacrylate hydrogels made by crosslinking polymerization of glycerol monomethacrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate including their interpenetrating networks. The hydrogel morphology was studied using cryo-SEM, HVSEM, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), laser scanning confocal microscopy...Continue Reading

References

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Sep 1, 1971·Journal of Biomedical Materials Research·L SprinclD Lím
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Citations

Dec 19, 2020·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Gayan Heruka De ZoysaVijayalekshmi Sarojini
Mar 7, 2021·Polymers·Jose Maria AlonsoVirginia Saez-Martinez
Apr 2, 2021·Biomacromolecules·Erwan Nicol
Oct 23, 2021·ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering·Antonietta PepeBrigida Bochicchio

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
light
confocal microscopy
scanning electron microscopies
atomic
X-ray
scanning electron microscopy
electron microscopy
light microscopies
confocal
light microscopy

Software Mentioned

LSCM
ESEM

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