Bio-Compatible Ca-BDC/Polymer Monolithic Composites Templated from Bio-Active Ca-BDC Co-Stabilized CO₂-in-Water High Internal Phase Emulsions

• Main Authors: Xule Yang, Youwei Hao, Liqin Cao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-04-01
• Series: Polymers
• Subjects: metal organic framework; Ca-BDC; CO₂-in-water emulsions; high internal phase emulsions; Pickering emulsifiers; interconnected macro-porous MOF/polymer composites
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/4/931

Because of the nontoxic solvents contained in CO₂-in-water emulsions, porous polymer composites templated from these emulsions are conducive for bio-applications. Herein, bio-active rod-like calcium-organic framworks (Ca-BDC MOFs, BDC= 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate anion) particles co-stabilized CO₂-in-water high internal phase emulsion (C/W HIPE) in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is first presented. After curing of the continuous phase, followed by releasing CO₂, integral 3D macro-porous Ca-BDC monolith and Ca-BDC/Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-<i>co</i>-acrylamide) HIPEs monolithic composites [Ca-BDC/P(AM-<i>co</i>-HEMA)HIPEs] with open-cell macro-porous structures were successfully prepared. The pore structure of these porous composite can be tuned by means of tailoring the Ca-BDC dosage, carbon dioxide pressure, and continuous phase volume fractions in corresponding C/W HIPEs. Results of bio-compatibility tests show that these Ca-BDC/P(AM-<i>co</i>-HEMA)HIPEs monoliths have non-cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells; also, the <i>E. coli</i> can grow either on the surfaces or inside these monoliths. Furthermore, immobilization of <i>β</i>-amylase on these porous composite presents that <i>β</i>-amylase can be well-anchored into the porous polymer composites, its catalytic activity can be maintained even after 10 cycles. This work combined bio-active MOFs Ca-BDC, bio-compatible open-cell macroporous polymer PAM-<i>co</i>-HEMA and green C/W HIPEs to present a novel and facile way to prepare interconnected macro-porous MOFs/polymer composites. Compared with the existing other well-known materials such as hydrogels, these porous composites possess well-defined tunable pore structures and superior bio-activity, thereby have promising applications in bio-tissue engineering, food, and pharmaceutical.