Network of sodium hyaluronate with nano-knots junction of poly(amido amine) dendrimer

Amine-terminated poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers have been attached to sodium hyaluronates (NaHAs) by a coupling reaction. The morphology of NaHAs was varied from the common network to the bead & string network, which gave rise to the decrease in viscosity of NaHAs. The bead & string network was more abundant for the covalent network complex than the noncovalent one. The beads, that is, the nano-knots of the network consist of the covalent-bonded NaHA/dendrimer composites, and the strings are NaHA chains. Beads became small and strings decreased in number with decreasing a molecular weight of NaHA. The complexation of sodium poly-l-glutamates (NaPGAs) with PAMAM dendrimers was different in the manner from that of NaHAs with dendrimers. Flexible NaPGAs produced globular composites with dendrimers.

► Amine-terminated poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers are attached to sodium hyaluronates (NaHAs) by a coupling reaction.
► The morphology of NaHAs is varied from common network to bead & string network.
► The beads, that is, the nano-knots of the network consist of covalent-bonded NaHA/dendrimer composites, and the strings are NaHA chains.