Preparation of Macroporous Carboxymethyl Cellulose Cryogels and Its Blood Compatibility

Superporous Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC) cryogels were synthesized by chemical crosslinking of linear CMC with divinyl sulfone (DVS) with different mole ratios of CMC repeating unit down to 2.5%. The morphology of macroporous CMC cryogels was visualized by optic microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The swelling capacity and pore volume of CMC cryogels were found to increase with the decrease in the ratio of crosslinker to CMC, and the highest swelling capacity and pore volume values were 10825±1799% and 22.1±0.4 mL/g for 2.5% mole ratio of crosslinked CMC cryogels. The blood compatibility of CMC cryogels revealed that blood cells were destroyed with very low hemolysis ratio of 1.09±1% and also showed less thrombogenic activity with 80.2±5.1% blood clotting indexes.