{rfName}
St

Indexed in

License and use

Citations

23

Altmetrics

Grant support

The authors are grateful to Universitat Rovira i Virgili for financial support of Ms. Reig-Vano's scholarship (2019PMF-PIPF-20) and for financing through 2022PFR-URV-05. This work is also part of the R & amp;D project PID2020-115102RB-C21 funded by MCNI/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. Thanks to Nuria Argany Figueras, Dra. Rita Marimon Pico, Merce & nbsp;Moncusi Mercade & nbsp;and Dra. Mariana Stefanova Stankova of Servei de Recursos Cientific i Tecnic (SRCiT-URV) for their patience and full assistance in microscopy experiments.

Analysis of institutional authors

Reig-Vano BAuthorDe La Flor SAuthorTrojanowska AAuthorTylkowski BAuthorGiamberini MCorresponding Author
Share
Publications
>
Article

Structural and mechanical analysis on mannuronate-rich alginate gels and xerogels beads based on Calcium, Copper and Zinc as crosslinkers

Publicated to:International Journal Of Biological Macromolecules. 246 125659-125659 - 2023-07-04 246(), DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125659

Authors: Reig-Vano, Belen; Huck-Iriart, Cristian; de la Flor, Silvia; Trojanowska, Anna; Tylkowski, Bartosz; Giamberini, Marta

Affiliations

ALBA SYNCHROTRON LIGHT SOURCE, Carrer de la Llum 2-26, 08290 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain. - Author
ALBA SYNCHROTRON LIGHT SOURCE, Carrer Llum 2-26, Barcelona 08290, Spain - Author
Ctr Tecnol Catalunya, Eurecat, Marcelli Domingo S-N, Tarragona 43007, Spain - Author
Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Av. Països Catalans, 26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain. - Author
Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Av. Països Catalans, 26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain. Electronic address: marta.giamberini@urv.cat. - Author
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Av. Països Catalans, 26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain. - Author
Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Marcel·lí Domingo s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain. - Author
Univ Rovira & Virgili, Dept Chem Engn, Ave Paisos Catalans 26, Tarragona 43007, Spain - Author
Univ Rovira & Virgili, Dept Mech Engn, Ave Paisos Catalans 26, Tarragona 43007, Spain - Author
See more

Abstract

Beads based on a mannuronate(M)-rich alginate (86 % M units) were prepared by adding the polysaccharide solution to a crosslinking bath containing different concentrations (0.5, 2 and 10 wt%) of XCl2 where X = Ca, Cu or Zn. Primarily focus was on Zn, due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial capabilities. The beads were characterized by Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier-Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and compression tests. The crosslinking agent significantly influenced the properties of the resulting beads. Specifically, Ca-based beads exhibited a smoother surface, while Cu- and Zn-based beads appeared rougher. Interestingly, Zn-based beads displayed a core-shell structure. Young moduli ranged from 3500 and 7000 MPa, with the highest values observed for Zn-beads. SAXS investigation at 0.5 wt% XCl2 suggested increase in the densely packed domains amount in the order: Ca < Cu < Zn. Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) showed that the coordination number was 4.3 ± 0.4 for Cu, and 4.0 ± 0.2 and 1.1 ± 0.1 for Zn in 0.5 wt% XCl2 alginate xerogels, in agreement with reported Density Functional Calculations on Cu2+- and Zn2+-MM complexes. The results from FT-IR, compositional analysis and EXAFS collectively suggested a bridging coordination for these systems.Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Keywords
bindingcation-crosslinkingcoordinationdegradationdeliverydivalent-cationsencapsulationhydrogelsmetal-ionmicrocapsulesphysicochemical propertiesAlginate gelCation-crosslinkingEncapsulationL-guluronic acid

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal International Journal Of Biological Macromolecules due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2023, it was in position 6/95, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Polymer Science. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 1.37. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 1.84 (source consulted: FECYT Feb 2024)
  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 4.43 (source consulted: Dimensions May 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-05-09, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 9
  • Scopus: 14
  • OpenCitations: 9
Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-05-09:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 27.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 24 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 1.85.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 2 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9324099
Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Reig Vañó, Belén) and Last Author (Giamberini, Marta).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Giamberini, Marta.