Design of starch-based self-healing hydrogels based on dynamic borate ester bonds

Starches have attracted increasing research interest since they are renewable, biodegradable, and cost effective. Due to undesirable qualities such as poor solubility, a high degree of retrogradation, and poor thermal stability, native starches have been modified using various methods to enhance their functional properties and broaden their industrial applications. Meanwhile, starch molecules contain abundant hydroxyl groups and can be easily chemically or physically crosslinked to form hydrogels, and starch hydrogels have been widely used in many fields owing to their biocompatibility and renewability. 

However, starch hydrogels generally have weak mechanical properties due to their single-network structure with low cross-link density, which requires enhancement through grafting with functional monomers. Moreover, their tendency to incur damage after repeated use limits their effectiveness in practical applications. 

Kai Lu's thesis revolves around the design of a series of starch-based self-healing hydrogels by using borax as a cross-linker and the combination of other biocompatible raw materials, including CNCs, chitosan, and PVA. Lu explores the impact of synergistic dual reversible crosslinking of borate ester bonds and hydrogen bonds on the mechanical properties, thermal responsiveness, and self-healing capabilities of hydrogels. The starch-based hydrogels that Lu developed have the potential to open the door to new functional materials for various applications, including agriculture, sensor technology, and wastewater treatment. Overall, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of starch-based self-healing hydrogels, enabling the advancement of novel and improved applications for these materials.

Dissertation: https://hdl.handle.net/11370/a0e364d8-29ed-4953-b754-258f7654a0c4