Preparation and characterization of dopamine–sodium carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel

In order to prepare a biocompatible tissue adhesive and sealant with high adhesion properties, dopamine (DA) was grafted onto sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to obtain catechol-modified CMC–DA by carbodiimide chemistry method, and then CMC–DA hydrogels was prepared by self-cross-linking. The UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR and 1 H NMR results showed that dopamine was successfully introduced into CMC and the degree of substitution of dopamine in the CMC–DA hydrogels was 5%, 10.5% and 15%, respectively. SEM observation indicated that CMC–DA possessed porous structures. Cytotoxicity experiments showed that CMC–DA has good biocompatibility. The introduction of DA could further improve the biocompatibility of hydrogel. Bulk adhesion property of the hydrogels was studied by lap shear tests. Results showed that the adhesion strength of CMC was improved indeed after modified by dopamine.