Alternating-current electrophoretic adhesion of biodegradable hydrogel utilizing intermediate polymers

• We adhered biodegradable hydrogel each other by alternating-current electric fields.
• Adhesive strength of hydrogels was investigated as a function of voltage and frequency.
• We prepared 3-D hydrogel constructs by microbeads adhesion.

The adhesion of anionic charged biodegradable hydrogels each other utilizing oppositely charged water-soluble polymers as a binder has been achieved by applying alternating-current (AC) electric fields. The two gelatin based dextran sulfate gels (DS gels) were molecularly sutured together by AC electrophoretic adhesion when cationic charged quaternary ammonium chitosan (TMC) was applied between and held in contact with the two DS gels. The adhesive strength of the gels increased with increasing periodicity when a square wave was applied. Hydrogel constructs composed of DS microgels were prepared simply by AC electrophoretic adhesion utilizing intermediate TMC.

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