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Collagen nanofibrous materials have become integral to tissue engineering due to their exceptional properties and biocompatibility. Dehydrothermal crosslinking (DHT) enhances stability and maintains structural integrity without the formation of toxic residues. The study involved the crosslinking of electrospun collagen, applying DHT with access to air and under vacuum conditions. Various DHT exposure times of up to 72 h were applied to examine the time dependance of the DHT process. The DHT crosslinked collagen was subsequently chemically crosslinked using carbodiimides. The material crosslinked in this way evinced elevated Young's modulus values and ultimate tensile strength values, a lower swelling rate and lower shrinkage ratio during crosslinking, and a higher degree of resistance to degradation than the material crosslinked solely with DHT or carbodiimides. It was shown that the crosslinking mechanism using DHT occupies different binding sites than those using chemical crosslinking. Access to air for 12 h or less did not exert a significant impact on the material properties compared to DHT under vacuum conditions. However, concerning longer exposure times, it was determined that access to air results in the deterioration of the properties of the material and that reactions take place that occupy the free bonding sites, which subsequently reduces the effectiveness of chemical crosslinking using carbodiimides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interfacial compatibility of the natural filler and synthetic polymer is the key performance characteristic of biocomposites. The fillers are chemically modified, or coupling agents and compatibilisers are used to ensure optimal filler-polymer compatibility. Hence, we have investigated the effect of compatibilisation strategies of olive pits (OP) flour content (10, 20, 30, and 40%wt.) filled with recycled low-density polyethylene (rLDPE) on the chemical, physical, mechanical, and thermal behaviour of the developed biocomposites. In this study, we aim to investigate the filler-polymer compatibility in biocomposites by employing novel strategies for the functionalisation of OP filler and/or rLDPE matrix. Specifically, four cases are considered: untreated OP filled rLDPE (Case 1), treated OP filled rLDPE (Case 2), treated OP filled functionalised rLDPE (Case 3), and treated and functionalised OP filled functionalised rLDPE (Case 4). In general, the evaluation of the performance of biocomposites facilitated the application of OP industrial waste as an eco-friendly reinforcing agent for rLDPE-based biocomposites. Furthermore, surface treatment and compatibilisation improved the properties of the developed biocomposites over untreated filler or uncoupled biocomposites. Besides that, the compatibilisers used aided in reducing water uptake and improving thermal behaviour, which contributed to the stability of the manufactured biocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretchable and tough hydrogels have drawn a lot of attention recently. Due to their unique properties, they have great potential in the application in areas such as mechanical sensing, wound healing, and drug delivery. In this review, we will summarize recent developments of stretchable and tough hydrogels in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]