VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES MODULATION OF A NOVEL AUTOCROSSLINKED HYALURONIC-ACID POLYMER

Autocrosslinked polysaccharide (ACP) polymers are inter- and intra-mol ecular esters of hyaluronan (HA) in which part of the carboxyl group i s esterified with hydroxyl groups of the same and/or different molecul es of the polysaccharides. Suspensions of ACPs in bidistilled water, w ith relative levels of crosslinking varying from 5% to 20% and differe nt weight concentrations, were obtained to analyse their viscoelastic properties. The steady shear tests showed the pseudoplastic behaviour of ACP, viscosity having a higher value at higher concentrations and d egrees of crosslinking. The viscoelastic properties showed an essentia lly elastic behaviour in the examined frequency range, and they can be modulated by varying both the degree of crosslinking and the weight c oncentration.