FABRICATION OF SERICIN/POLYVINYL ALCOHOL HYDROGEL THROUGH FREEZE- THAWING METHOD

• Main Author: Sebastian, Joses
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/67804
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Diabetic foot ulcer is a disease that is prevalent in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. One of the methods of diabetic foot ulcer management, especially for superficial ulcers and deep ulcers, is the usage of wound dressings in the form of hydrogel. Sericin derived from silk cocoons is a promising material candidate for hydrogels due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammation, and collagen inducing properties. Furthermore, Indonesia as one of the silk-producing countries also has the potential for the use of sericin. This research focuses on the fabrication of sericin based hydrogel. Sericin was combined with PVA to increase the stability of the hydrogels. Sericin was successfully extracted with an autoclave. Results from FTIR characterization showed that sericin was indeed extracted from cocoons and had a dominant secondary structure of ?-sheets. Sericin/PVA hydrogels were successfully fabricated through the freeze-thawing method with variations of solution concentration and PVA to sericin ratio, in which the hydrogel with 4% concentration and 1:1 PVA to sericin ratio had the best stability and showed mixed characteristics of pure PVA and sericin. The resulting hydrogels also had an average pore size of 29,88-118,85 ?m and porosity of 61,86-79,89% which fulfills the requirement of wound dressings.