Tamilselvan Mohan

Graz University of Technology | TU Graz · Institut für Chemie und Technologie Biobasierter Systeme

3D printing of bio‐based nanomaterials into complex structures with design flexibility, structural anisotropy, and long‐term stability is a key issue for biomedical applications. Herein, 3D‐printed and ionically crosslinked structures with anisotropic, water‐proof, and tunable mechanical properties are fabricated using a polysaccharide ink composed...

Biocatalysis is increasingly becoming an alternative method for the synthesis of industrially relevant complex molecules. This can be realized by using enzyme immobilized polysaccharide-based 3D scaffolds as compatible carriers, with defined properties. Especially, immobilization of either single or multiple enzymes on a 3D printed polysaccharide s...

Polysaccharide-based scaffolds are promising carriers for enzyme immobilization. Here, we demonstrate a porous scaffold prepared by direct-ink-writing 3D printing of an ink consisting of nanofibrillated cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and citric acid for immobilization application. Negative surface charge introduced by the components made the sc...

This paper addresses an important issue related to improving the compatibility of the components when aiming to obtain composite materials with special properties. Thus, we designed and successfully prepared and characterized new materials based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) which are more efficiently and stably attached to viscose fiber...

Herein, we fabricated chemically crosslinked polysaccharide-based three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds using an ink composed of nanofibrillated cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and citric acid (CA), featuring strong shear thinning behavior and adequate printability. Scaffolds were produced by combining direct-ink-writing 3D printing, freeze-dr...

Cellulose-water interactions are crucial to understand biological processes as well as to develop tailor made cellulose-based products. However, the main challenge to study these interactions is the diversity of natural cellulose fibers and alterations in their supramolecular structure. Here, we study the humidity response of different, well-define...

Stable chitosan thin films can be promising substrates for creating nanometric peptide-bound polyglucosamine layers. Those are of scientific interest since they can have certain structural similarities to bacterial peptidoglycans. Such films were deposited by spin coating from chitosan solutions and modified by acetylation and N-protected amino aci...

The path to greater sustainability and the development of polymeric drug delivery systems requires innovative approaches. The adaptation and use of biobased materials for applications such as targeted therapeutic delivery is, therefore, in high demand. A crucial part of this relates to the development of porous and hollow structures that are biocom...

The biocompatibility of body implants made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is inadequate; therefore, the surface should be grafted with biocompatible molecules. Because PTFE is an inert polymer, the adhesion of the biocompatible film may not be appropriate. Therefore, the PFTE surface should be modified to enable better adhesion, preferably by...

Modification and functionalization of polymer surface properties is desired in numerous applications, and a standard technique is a treatment with non-equilibrium gaseous plasma. Fluorinated polymers exhibit specific properties and are regarded as difficult to functionalize with polar functional groups. Plasma methods for functionalization of polyv...

The most frequent neutralisation procedure, applied on chitosan (CS) films includes treatment with NaOH base. Such treatment endows CS films with stability in water, yet, same can significantly decrease the film performance. In the present paper, we investigate Mg(OH) 2 nanoparticles as a neutralisation agent for CS solutions followed by casting in...

The intention of this publication is to give an overview on research related to conjugates of polysaccharides and peptides. Dextran, chitosan, and alginate were selected, to cover four of the most often encountered functional groups known to be present in polysaccharides. These groups are the hydroxyl, the amine, the carboxyl, and the acetal functi...

As one of the most abundant, multifunctional biological polymers, polysaccharides are considered promising materials to prepare tissue engineering scaffolds. When properly designed, wetted porous scaffolds can have biomechanics similar to living tissue and provide suitable fluid transport, both of which are key features for in vitro and in vivo tis...

Medical implant-associated infections resulting from biofilm formation triggered by unspecific protein adsorption are the prevailing cause of implant failure. However, implant surfaces rendered with multifunctional bioactive nanocoatings offer a promising alternative to prevent the initial attachment of bacteria and effectively interrupt biofilm fo...

We report here a one-step aqueous method for the synthesis of isolated and purified polysaccharide-amino acid conjugates. Two different types of amino acid esters: glycine methyl ester and l-tryptophan methyl ester, as model compounds for peptides, were conjugated to the polysaccharide carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in water using carbodiimide at amb...

Cellulose has a long history dating back to ancient times in the evolution of humanity. It was a key material for basic needs, especially for the construction of shelters, paper making, which allowed our ancestors to perpetuate the valuable literary, philosophical or artistic works. In modern era, cellulose has acquired new dimensions of knowledge...

In this study, we report the isolation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from Isora plant fibers by sulfuric acid hydrolysis and their assembly on hydrophilic cellulose and silicon-dioxide (SiO2) surfaces via a layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition method. The isolated CNCs were monodispersed and exhibited a length of 200-300 nm and a diameter of 10-20 nm...

The introduction of the Laboratory Manual gives the theoretical bases on cellulose and its derivatives, which are used as starting polymers for the preparation of multifunctional polymers with three different advanced techniques - spin coating, electrospinning and 3D printing. In the following, each technique is presented in a separate Lab Exercise...

The use of biomass to produce value-adding materials is a core objective of the circular economy, which has attracted great research interest in recent decades. In this context, we present here a simple dispersion-casting process for consolidation of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), lignosulphonate (LS)-rich bio-waste and CaCl2 in composite membranes....

This study describes the formation of cellulose based polyelectrolyte charge complexes on the surface of biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) thin films. Anionic sulphated cellulose (CS) and protonated cationic amino cellulose (AC) were used to form these complexes with a layer-by-layer coating technique. Both polyelectrolytes were analyzed by char...

Herein, colloidal dispersions of alkaline nano-particles (NPs: CaCO 3 and Mg(OH) 2) are stabilized by trimethylsilyl cellulose (TMSC) in hexamethyldisiloxane and employed to treat historical wood pulp paper by an effortless dip-coating technique. Both alkaline NPs exhibit high stability and no size and shape changes upon stabilization with the poly...

This study presents a simple and straightforward method for the preparation of aqueous-based stable polysaccharide-metal oxide nanoparticles composites-composed of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs), and their interaction with the cellulose surface, is presented. Using a combination of anionic polysaccharid...

Three-dimensional scaffolds (3D) with controlled shape, dual porosity and long-term mechanical and dimensional stability in biofluids are of interest as biotemplates in tissue engineering. Herein, self-standing and lightweight cellulose-based biogenic scaffolds with a spatially structured morphology, macropores and interconnected micropores were fa...

Present work describes a novel polymer based nanocomposite anionic exchange membranes (AEMs) with improved features for direct alkaline fuel cell applications. AEMs based on chitosan (CS), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) and graphene oxide (GO) with benzyltrimethylammonium chloride (BTMAC), as the hydroxide conductor, were fabricated by a solvent cas...

Engineering functional biomaterials surfaces that resist biofilm formation triggered by unspecific protein adsorption is a key challenge and these biosurfaces hold a huge potential in implant-associated infection. Herein, we report a water-based facile approach to install carboxylated-hyaluronic acid and sulphated-fucoidan on cationically-tethered...

This work describes the preparation of spin-coated thin polymer films composed of cellulose (CE), ethyl cellulose (EC) and cellulose acetate (CA) in the form of bi- or mono-component coatings on sensors of a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Depending on the composition and derivative, hydrophilicity can be varied res...

Stable and (bio)-compatible nanofibrous matrices showing effective incorporation and release of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) hold a huge potential in tissue regeneration and wound healing. Herein, a two-step, water-based and needleless electrospinning method is used to fabricate thermally cross-linked multifunctional nanofibrous su...

This work describes the interaction of the human blood plasma proteins albumin, fibrinogen and γ-globulins with micro-and nano-patterned polymer interfaces. Protein adsorption studies were correlated to the fibrin clotting time of human blood plasma and to the growth of primary human endothelial cells (hECs) on these patterns. It was observed that...

3D printed bioscaffolds from polysaccharide materials hold a huge promise in tissue engineering applications, especially in regard to in vitro culturing of pancreatic cells, which require cell-ECM mimicking interactions in all spatial dimensions to remain viable for longer times. Material features, surface characteristics and the physical nature of...

Chronic wounds not only lower the quality of patient's life significantly, but also present a huge financial burden for the healthcare systems around the world. Treatment of larger wounds often requires the use of more complex materials, which can ensure a successful renewal or replacement of damaged or destroyed tissues. Despite a range of advance...

Translational studies to elucidate the response of immature bone to biologic and physical stimuli have been held back by the lack of a viable long-term functional bone explant model. This study attempts to bridge this gap between cell culture and animal model studies. In this study, we describe a methodology to derive a 300 μm organotypic femur sli...

Control over the mechanical properties of cellulose-based artifacts (e.g. paper) is highly important in cultural heritage science. Especially, a non-aqueous method that does not cause swelling but can be applied to either single paper sheets or bound cellulose items (e.g., books) without any preselection is currently needed. Herein, we present a ne...

Polysaccharides (PS) and their derivatives are highly attractive as biomaterials in the field of regenerative medicine (RM), owing to their low cytotoxicity, hydrophilicity, and mechanical strength. In this chapter, a short overview of 3D bioprinting, an emerging technology in RM, will be given. In addition following the general introduction on PS...

Polysaccharides and their derivatives possess a significant potential to be used as biomaterials in life sciences owing to their large abundance and their function they execute in nature. To harness this potential it is necessary to develop, understand and utilize techniqes that allow for the manufacturing of defined polysaccharide based structures...

Cytocompatible polysaccharide-based functional scaffolds are potential extracellular matrix candidates for soft and hard tissue engineering. This paper describes a facile approach to design cytocompatible, non-toxic, and multifunctional chitosan-cellulose based hydrogel beads utilising polysaccharide dissolution in sodium hydroxide-urea-water solve...

Thin films of trimethylsilyl cellulose are obtained by spin coating and regenerated to cellulose. The surface is activated with N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole and aminolysis with lysine is carried out in aqueous solution to yield a cellulose lysine carbamate film. The surface is analytically characterized by ATR-IR spectroscopy, zetapotential measurement...

Stable hydrophilic and protein-repellent surfaces from nontoxic polysaccharides are highly desirable in several biomedical applications such as implants and prosthetics. Herein, a water-based one-step strategy to functionalize polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces with chitosan-based bioparticles is described to suppress the adsorption of blood plas...

Local drug delivery systems made from non-toxic polysaccharide nanofilms have an enormous potential in wound care. A detailed understanding of the structural, surface, physicochemical and cytotoxic properties of such systems is crucial to design clinically efficacious materials. Herein, we fabricated polysaccharide-based nanofilms onto either a 2D...

The biofilm formation triggered by uncontrolled protein adsorption, on medical devices is the leading cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) during implantation. Herein, we report a water-based, green and one-step strategy to functionalize surfaces of silicone catheters, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), with antifouling and ant...

Polymer based biomaterials particularly polycaprolactone (PCL) are one of the most promising substrates for tissue engineering. The surface chemistry of these materials plays a major role since it governs protein adsorption, cell adhesion, viability, degradation and biocompatibility in the first place. This study correlates the interaction of the m...

In this contribution, we explore the interaction of lignocellulosics and proteins aiming at a better understanding of their synergistic role in natural systems. In particular, the manufacturing and characterization of amphiphilic bicomponent thin films composed of hydrophilic cellulose and a hydrophobic lignin ester in different ratios is presented...

Back Cover: The preferred production of cellulose based hollow semi spheres or fibrous mats by needleless electrospinning can be easily realized by employing trimethylsilyl celluloses derived from different sources. The approach takes advantage of different degrees of molecular entanglements caused by differences in origin and molecular weight of t...

This chapter deals with an overview of design and fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for tissue engineering (TE) applications using the electrospinning technique. A general introduction to cellulose, a short overview of sources and methodology for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and principles of tissue engineering and...

This chapter deals with an overview of design and fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for tissue engineering (TE) applications using the electrospinning technique. A general introduction to cellulose, a short overview of sources and methodology for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and principles of tissue engineering and...

Wound dressings, capable of local controlled delivery of non-steroid anti-inflammatory pain-killing drugs (NSAIDs) to the wound bed, offer great potential to accelerate the wound healing process, hence increase the quality of life of patients. With local NSAID delivery, unwanted side effects encountered in their systemic delivery, are drastically d...

An elegant way for the controlled production of either cellulose fibers or hollow half spheres from trimethylsilyl cellulose (TMSC) via needleless electrospinning is reported. For this purpose trimethylsilyl celluloses (DS: 2.6–2.7) have been synthesized from three different cellulose sources, namely spruce pulp, AVICEL, and a viscose pulp. While T...

In this contribution, a hydrophobically modified polysaccharide derivative is synthesized in an eco-friendly solvent water by conjugation of benzylamine with the backbone of the biopolymer. Owing to the presence of aromatic moieties, the resulting water-soluble polysaccharide derivative self-assembles spontaneously and selectively from solution on...

The supramolecular rearrangements of biopolymers have remained difficult to discern. Here, we present a versatile approach that allows for an in situ investigation of two major types of rearrangements typically observed with cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer on earth. Model thin films were employed to study time-resolved pore size changes usi...

This paper reports an investigation on the use of a highly stable colloidal organic dispersion consisting of a polysaccharide derivative and alkaline nanoparticles for the simultaneous deacidification and strengthening of aged historical wood pulp (HWP) and new paper. Colloidal dispersions of Mg(OH)2 nanoparticles (size ca. 150 nm) stabilized by tr...

In this investigation, partially deacetylated cellulose acetate (DCA) thin films were prepared and modified with hydrophilic polysaccharides with the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. As polysaccharides, chitosan (CHI) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were used. DCA thin films were manufactured by exposing spin coated cellulose acetate to potassium...

DNA immobilization for the manufacturing of microarrays requires sufficient probe density, low unspecific binding and high interaction efficiency with complementary strands that are detected from solutions. Many of these important parameters are affected by the surface chemistry and the blocking steps conducted during DNA spotting and hybridization...

The unique physico-chemical properties of cationic polymers and their ability to be easily modified make them attractive for many biological applications. As a result there is a vast amount of research focussed on designing novel natural or synthetic cationic polymers with specific biological functionality. Cationic Polymers in Regenerative Medicin...

In this study, the interaction of fluorescein isothiocyanate functionalized bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) with cellulose surfaces decorated with trimethyl chitosan (TMC) is investigated. Two types of TMC, one exhibiting a lower and one with a higher degree of cationization are used for protein adsorption. The adsorption is carried out at differen...

The equipment of cellulose ultrathin films with BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) via cationization of the surface by tailor made cationic celluloses is described. In this way, matrices for controlled protein deposition are created whereas the extent of protein affinity to these surfaces is controlled by the charge density and solubility of the tailored c...