Rheological and ion-conductive properties of injectable and self-healing hydrogels based on xanthan gum and silk fibroin

Abstract The hydrogels with injectable and self-healing properties were prepared from xanthan gum (XG) and silk fibroin (SF) by using sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) as crosslinker. A three-stage model of oscillation-shear-oscillation experiment was designed to mimic injection process and to observe destruction and regeneration of the hydrogels after shear. The XG3-SF-STMP hydrogels immediately recovered to original storage modulus of 80.6%–93.8% on removing shear. The hydrogels were 3D printed into the self-supporting constructions of hydrogel fibers with connected porous structures, and the XG3-SF-STMP hydrogel fibers exhibited smaller width than XG3-STMP. Oscillation rheological behavior indicated that XG3-SF-STMP hydrogels formed rapidly and exhibited more solid-like gel behavior than XG3-STMP. The hydrogel structures were destroyed under a strain (100%) larger than critical strain, but were rebuilt under a small strain (1%) with recovery ratio of 91.36–93.96% within 120 s, suggesting a self-healing property. Introduction of SF particles into XG3-STMP crosslinked networks improved stiffness and retained recoverability. Carboxyl and phosphate groups in the hydrogel networks are beneficial for XG3-SF-STMP hydrogels to absorb enough liquid electrolytes, leading to effective ionic conductivity. The ion-conductive hydrogel with injectable, self-healing, controlled release and non-cytotoxic properties possesses a promising prospect for tissue engineering and drug release application.