Controlling material properties of ionically cross-linked alginate hydrogels by varying molecular weight distribution

The mechanical properties of alginate hydrogels are critical to their successful use in tissue engineering. We hypothesized that combining alginates of differing molecular weights would allow one to readily control and decouple the viscosity of the pre-gel solution from the post-gel stiffness. To test this, binary hydrogels were prepared by incorporating low molecular weight (MW) alginate (M-n similar to 3.3 x 10(4) g/mol) into 1%(w/w) alginate solutions composed of high MW alginate (M-n similar to 2.2 x 10(5) g/mol). The addition of low MW alginate had minimal effects on the solution viscosity, allowing high solids loading in the solution while maintaining a workable solution. However, the increased mass loading resulted in much higher stiffness gels following ionic cross-linking with calcium. These data may be interpreted in relation to the microstructure of the solution versus hydrogel.