Determination of Swelling Kinetics and Diffusion Mechanisms of Chemically Crosslinked Porous Chitosan Hydrogels

Chitosan hydrogels have gained popularity in a variety of industrial applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and varied physicochemical features. Understanding these hydrogels' swelling dynamics and diffusion processes is crucial for improving their efficacy in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound healing. This work aims to examine the processes of swelling and diffusion in chemically crosslinked porous chitosan hydrogels. The swelling kinetics of the hydrogels were investigated using Fick's diffusion mathematical model to determine the effects of different molecular weights of chitosan on the swelling behavior at pH: 2.0, pH: 5.6 and pH: 7.4. Chitosan hydrogels cross-linked with glutaraldeyhde showed Super Case II Diffusion according to Fick's laws of diffusion.