SERICIN / POLYVINYLALCOHOL HYDROGEL AND ITS MODIFICATION WITH GRAPHENE OXIDE FOR WOUND SCAFFOLD APPLICATION

• Main Author: Ekasurya, William
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/68671
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Sericin from silk cocoons has the potential to be used as a diabetic wound scaffold because it has good biocompatibility and hypoglycemic activity. Sericin also has the ability to form hydrogels suitable for wound scaffold applications, but lacks gel stability and undergoes rapid degradation. PVA was added into hydrogel to increase the stability of the gel and inhibit its degradation. In addition, to improve its antibacterial properties, the hydrogel was modified with graphene oxide (GO). This research focuses on the fabrication of PVA-sericin hydrogel and modification of the hydrogel with GO through freeze-thawing. Through the characterization of PVA-sericin hydrogel, it was shown that the hydrogel has an interconnected porous structure with a pore size range of 24-191 ?m and porosity of around 70-85%. Hydrogel degradation test in PBS solution showed the ability of PVA to inhibit the hydrogel degradation rate to 60-75% after 672 hours of testing. The morphology of the hydrogel after the degradation test changed, such as in the walls and pores of the hydrogel. The addition of GO to sericin hydrogel made it difficult for cross-linking to occur, indicated by the resulting hydrogel not having good dimensional stability. In conclusion, PVA-sericin hydrogel has the potential for wound scaffold application with good porosity and degradation rate.