PVA-GO-Lip hydrogel loaded alendronate sodium: friction adaptation, controlled release, antibacterial and mineralization mechanism.

Abstract

This research developed an advanced polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based hydrogel, which combines graphene oxide (GO) and liposome (Lip) to solve the key challenges in joint repair. PVA-GO-Lip composite material was prepared by freeze-thaw cycling, forming a composite structure with hydrogen bonding network and embedded Lip micro reservoir. This material has excellent mechanical properties (300% elongation, 4.2 kg load capacity) and self-healing properties through dynamic hydrogen bonding. Friction tests showed that compared to pure PVA, friction was reduced by 48% (coefficient: 0.11) due to GO enhanced hydration and Lip mediated boundary lubrication. The release of alendronate (ALN) follows Higuchi kinetics, with stable Lip release under mechanical stress (cumulative release 82.4%). GO has excellent antibacterial activity (inhibition rate > 98% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus), while ALN promotes significant mineralization (calcium/phosphate content increased by 8-16 times). This composite material has excellent stability (degradation of 2.6% within 30 days), adjustable hydrophilicity (contact angle of 36.5°), and swelling ability (equilibrium ratio of 49.21%). This multifunctional hydrogel combines mechanical durability, adaptive lubrication, controlled drug delivery, antibacterial effect and osteogenic potential. It is a promising biomimetic solution for the treatment of osteoarthritis and cartilage regeneration, linking biomechanical properties with therapeutic functions.