High-throughput tuning of methacrylic-acid-based hydrogels with calcium and chitosan as secondary ionic cross-linkers

Covalent hydrogel networks predominantly derived from methacrylic acid were developed as a platform for the exploration of atomic (in the form of calcium) and biopolymer polyelectrolyte (in the form of chitosan) secondary ionic cross-linkers. Well-defined chitosan was prepared from chitin and incorporated at various loadings in hydrogel precursor solutions, resulting in template polymerizations. Resultant hydrogels were soaked in various concentrations of aqueous calcium chloride and characterized by compression testing.