MCM-41/chondroitin sulfate hybrid hydrogels with remarkable mechanical properties and superabsorption of methylene blue

This paper describes the synthesis of hybrid hydrogels based on chondroitin sulfate (CS) and mesoporous silica (MCM-41). The combination of the CS network and surface-modified MCM-41 yields resilient hybrids with a high water absorption power and excellent capacity for the removal of methylene blue (MB). In this system, two types of solute transport mechanisms exist: absorption and adsorption. The effect of MCM-41 on the physical-chemical...