# The Influence of Cations and Host–Guest Interactions on Alginate Gels Properties

## TL;DR

This study explores how different metal ions and molecular interactions affect the strength and properties of alginate gels.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in assessing host–guest interactions using a functionalized alginate and β-cyclodextrin system.

## Key findings

- Ba2+ forms the strongest gels, while Zn2+ forms the weakest.
- Host–guest interactions significantly influence the immobilization of spin-labeled probes in gels.
- Rheology and spectroscopy reveal how cation type affects gel properties.

## Abstract

Ionotropic alginate-based hydrogelation by divalent metal interaction has been employed to study the effect that different types of ions might have on gel formation. In this regard, EPR and IR spectroscopies, as well as rheology techniques, have been used to evaluate the influence of divalent cations on gel formation, and at the same time to assess host–guest interactions. Alginate was functionalized with TEMPO moieties; therefore, TEMPO-alginate system was taken as a reference. The novelty of this study consists of using a mixture of adamantyl-TEMPO-functionalized alginate and β-cyclodextrin linked through 1,3-diaminopropane to assess the host–guest interactions in functionalized gels. The properties of divalent cations considered in this study (Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Zn2+) were proven by changes in spectral parameters of paramagnetic moieties, while the viscoelastic moduli as functions of shear strain and frequency were evaluated through rheology measurements. Overall, the information obtained from these investigations has shown that the properties of the alginate gels are influenced both by the type of divalent cation used for complexation and by the host–guest interactions. The results show that the type of the cation significantly affects gel strength; therefore, Ba2+ forms the strongest gel, while Zn2+ the least resistant. Additionally, a high immobilization of the spin-labeled probes has been obtained by the addition of tosylated β-cyclodextrin in the alginate gel network containing Ba2+ ions.