Gelling process of sodium alginate with bivalent ions rich microsphere: Nature of bivalent ions

In the paper we present a new approach for obtaining a controlled gelling process of sodium alginate, based on the quantity of bivalent ions rich alginate micro-beads added as crosslinkers. Typically, calcium ions are used in gelation of alginate solutions. In this study we present different gelling systems realized with alginate microspheres, made by electrospinning methodology, enriched with different bivalent ions (Ca2+, Ba2+ and Mg2+). The microspheres were characterized under the point of view of the morphology by OM and as the ions content. Realized gels were characterized in light of the amount of the ions added to the alginate solution, and in light of the different dimensions of the micro-beads, using rheological measurements to assess the variation in the storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″) and complex viscosity (η*).