BIO-IONIC LIQUID FUNCTIONALIZED HYDROGELS TOWARDS SMART TISSUE REGENERATION

A blend of scaffolds, biologically active molecules, and cells are required to assemble functional constructs to repair and regenerate damaged tissue or organ via tissue engineering. The scaffold supports cell growth and proliferation and acts as a medium for diverse cellular activities. Even though hydrogel\u27s high-water content and flexible nature make it a pronounced applicant as a scaffold, they exhibit significant technical limitations such as the absence of cell-binding motifs, lack of oxygen, conductivity, adhesive properties, growth of cells in a 3-dimensional (3D) microenvironment. In this thesis, a novel material platform is evaluated and studied to address the concerns mentioned earlier. The biopolymer is made by conjugating a bio ionic liquid (BIL) onto a biocompatible polymer backbone. The introduction of choline functionality significantly enhances the polymer\u27s physical, mechanical, rheological, adhesive, and electrochemical properties. Initially, the adhesive properties and functionality of the synthesized biopolymers were analyzed. In addition, evaluating the biopolymer\u27s ability to be used in in-situ 3D printing in-vivo electrical stimulation studies was performed. Furthermore, to demonstrate the biopolymer\u27s performance as a conductive gel electrolyte, electrochemical functioning was considered. In conclusion, as an application, self-oxygenating tissue scaffolds were developed based on biocompatible electrochemical cell technology, combining the properties exhibited by the new class of biomaterials, an oxygen-generating setup that alleviates anoxia in a 3D microenvironment was confirmed, thus serving as an interface between bioelectronics and biomaterials