Chitosan gelation induced by the in situ formation of gold nanoparticles and its processing into macroporous scaffolds

This work describes a simple synthetic route to induce chitosan (CHI) gelation by the in situ formation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs were obtained by thermal treatment (e.g., 40 and 80 °C) of CHI aqueous solutions containing HAuCl(4) and in the absence of further reducing agents. The CHI hydrogels resulting after AuNP formation were submitted to unidirectional freezing and subsequent freeze-drying via ISISA (ice-segregation-induced self-assembly) process for the preparation of CHI scaffolds. The study of AuNP-CHI scaffolds by SEM and confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed a morphological structure characteristic of the hydrogel nature of the samples subjected to the ISISA process. Interestingly, not only the morphology but also the dissolution and swelling degree of the resulting CHI scaffolds were strongly influenced by the strength of the hydrogels obtained by the in situ formation of AuNP. We have also studied the catalytic activity AuNP-CHI scaffolds in the reduction of p-nitrophenol. The negligible dissolution and low swelling degree obtained in certain AuNP-CHI scaffolds allowed them to be used for more than four cycles with full preservation of the reaction kinetics.