Mechanical behaviour and biocompatibility of poly(1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone)–gelatin IPN hydrogels

IPN hydrogels based on poly(1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone) and gelatin were obtained by casting of aqueous solution using potassium persulphate and glutaraldehyde as respective crosslinking agents. Studies of swelling and mechanical behaviour showed that the samples of different composition can incorporate high content of water and still exhibit high compression strength. The composition has influence at the global crosslinking density what affects the mechanical performance. In vitro biocompatibility and hemocompatibility were also investigated. The materials do not interfere on the cellular functions and neither induce platelet adhesion. From this preliminary evaluation, it is possible to conclude that these hydrogels have potential for applications in the biomedical field.