Synergistic Performance Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Hydrogels via Silica and Pluronic F127 Incorporation for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Optimizing conventional hydrogels is crucial for their broader and more effective biomedical applications. This study aims to enhance the mechanical properties and biofunctions of physically crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels by introducing silica (SiO 2 ) and Pluronic 127 (F127), eventually resulting in a novel PVA‐SiO 2 ‐F127 composite hydrogel with a weight ratio of 7:3:5. The obtained hydrogels exhibited a super‐hydrophilic surface (contact angle of ~0°) and a more compact network than pure PVA hydrogels, as confirmed by the SEM analysis. The addition of SiO 2 effectively improved the compatibility between PVA and F127 through mutual hydrogen bonding, which was verified by the FT‐IR results. Meanwhile, it endowed the PVA hydrogels with an excellent ability to form bone‐like apatite. The further incorporation of F127 enhanced the compressive strength of the PVA hydrogels by 144% (from 0.09 to 0.22 MPa at 70% strain) and accelerated the weight loss from 11.1% to 31.5% over 10 days in PBS, while maintaining a high swelling capacity of 616.7%. In addition, the feasibility of the composite hydrogel as a carrier of bovine serum albumin (BSA) was evaluated at different temperatures (4°C, 25°C, 37°C, and 45°C). Results revealed a temperature‐dependent, sustained BSA release profile over 240 h, with an optimal release behavior at 37°C (body temperature). The release kinetics were synergistically controlled by diffusion and erosion processes. Compared to PVA hydrogels, the composite hydrogels minimized the initial burst release and prolonged the stability of BSA over extended periods, thereby highlighting their potential applications in wound healing and tissue engineering.