The effect of crosslinking and Cloisite Na+ on thermal stability and morphology of hydroxyethyl cellulose (|HEC) hydrogels

In this study, the biodegradable hydrogel of hydroxyethyl cellulose was prepared by the solution casting method.Boric acid as cross-linker was used to enhance the properties of the films. Cross-linking is a common method to improve the stability of cellulose derivatives products. The prepared films were characterized by the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM micrographs indicated that the prepared hydrogel films were not smooth and the surface of the dried hydrogels was porous. It also showed that Cloisite Na+ changes the entire morphology. The TGA curves showed that there was an increase in the thermal stability of the films with increasing the amount of the crosslinker. By contrast, the organoclayreinforced hydrogels did not reveal any significant reinforcement capacity.