Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties of Polymeric Systems for Potential Applications in Cartilage Tissue Engineering

This study investigates the physicochemical properties of hydrogels based on PVA and PVP crosslinked with PEGDA, focusing on their swelling capacity, surface roughness, incubation behavior, and structural modifications upon bioactive component incorporation. Swelling analysis demonstrated that the amount and molecular weight of PEGDA significantly influences the hydrogels' sorption properties, with the highest swelling coefficient observed for samples with 2 mL PEGDA (575 g/mol) due to a looser network structure, while the lowest was recorded for 2.5 mL PEGDA (700 g/mol), indicating a denser network. Surface roughness analysis revealed that increasing the crosslinker amount led to higher roughness both before and after incubation, with samples containing 575 g/mol PEGDA being more susceptible to structural changes in an incubation environment. FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups, providing insight into the chemical stability and hydration properties of the hydrogels. Modification with a bioactive mixture (glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM) was confirmed by spectral analysis, indicating successful integration without compromising the hydrogel matrix. The modified hydrogels demonstrated potential applications in regenerative medicine, particularly for joint disease treatment and cartilage tissue repair.