Abstract Currently, plastic/rubber/silicone based shoe inserts are used as preventive approach against diabetic foot which are non-degradable, non-absorbent and contains magnet protrusions, making them highly uncomfortable. These are discarded and thrown away after their service life, causing soil and marine pollution. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl cellulose (PVA/CMC) based magnetic hydrogels prepared by physical crosslinking as an alternative for diabetic shoe inserts. Hydrogels prepared by moist heat treatment with different concentration of strontium ferrite nanoparticles (MG) are evaluated based on their structural, physico-chemical, morphological, thermal, mechanical, thermo-mechanical, swelling behavior, surface wetting, magnetic and rheological properties. It was observed that incorporation of MG resulted in improvement in overall properties. Infrared spectroscopy revealed strong hydrogen bonding interaction between CMC and PVA. The surface micrographs showed uniform dispersion of MG throughout PVA/CMC matrix. The results showed the improvement in flexibility and tensile strength of the PVA/CMC hydrogels with the incorporation of MG by ~40 and ~20%, respectively. Moreover, the magnetic hydrogels could absorb ~300% moisture of their original weight which is necessary to avoid growth of microbes on skin. Thus, PVA/CMC/MG hydrogels can be considered as a biodegradable alternative for diabetic shoe insoles.

中文翻译：

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用于预防糖尿病足的磁性水凝胶鞋垫

摘要 目前，以塑料/橡胶/硅胶为基础的鞋垫作为糖尿病足的预防方法，其不可降解、不吸水且含有磁铁突起，使它们非常不舒服。这些在使用寿命结束后被丢弃和丢弃，造成土壤和海洋污染。因此，本研究的目的是评估通过物理交联制备的基于聚乙烯醇/羧甲基纤维素 (PVA/CMC) 的磁性水凝胶作为糖尿病鞋垫的替代品。用不同浓度的锶铁氧体纳米粒子 (MG) 湿热处理制备的水凝胶根据其结构、物理化学、形态、热、机械、热机械、溶胀行为、表面润湿、磁性和流变特性进行评估。观察到MG的掺入导致整体性能的改善。红外光谱显示 CMC 和 PVA 之间有很强的氢键相互作用。表面显微照片显示 MG 在整个 PVA/CMC 基质中均匀分散。结果表明，加入 MG 后 PVA/CMC 水凝胶的柔韧性和拉伸强度分别提高了约 40% 和约 20%。此外，磁性水凝胶可以吸收其原始重量约 300% 的水分，这是避免皮肤上微生物生长所必需的。因此，PVA/CMC/MG 水凝胶可被视为糖尿病鞋垫的可生物降解替代品。表面显微照片显示 MG 在整个 PVA/CMC 基质中均匀分散。结果表明，加入 MG 后 PVA/CMC 水凝胶的柔韧性和拉伸强度分别提高了约 40% 和约 20%。此外，磁性水凝胶可以吸收其原始重量约 300% 的水分，这是避免皮肤上微生物生长所必需的。因此，PVA/CMC/MG 水凝胶可被视为糖尿病鞋垫的可生物降解替代品。表面显微照片显示 MG 在整个 PVA/CMC 基质中均匀分散。结果表明，加入 MG 后 PVA/CMC 水凝胶的柔韧性和拉伸强度分别提高了约 40% 和约 20%。此外，磁性水凝胶可以吸收其原始重量约 300% 的水分，这是避免皮肤上微生物生长所必需的。因此，PVA/CMC/MG 水凝胶可被视为糖尿病鞋垫的可生物降解替代品。