Abstract: Porous β-tricalcium phosphate/chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol(β-TCP/CS/PVA) composite hydrogel was prepared successfully by the freezing-thawing method using NaCl as porogen. The effects of different mass ratio of CS to β-TCP on the crystallinity of PVA and the performance of target β-TCP/CS/PVA composite hydrogel has been studied. The products were characterized by means of XRD, SEM， TG-DTA and their water uptake, swelling ratio, and tensile strength were also determined and compared. The water uptake of the hydrogel composite was about 70%~76%(mass fraction). When the mass ratio of CS to β-TCP was 2∶8, it exhibited good mechanical properties: tensile strength of 0.56 MPa and elongation at breakage of 370% which can withstand normal human eye pressure. Therefore, the porous β-TCP/CS/PVA hydrogel composite is promising to be used as the skirt for artificial cornea.

Key words: Chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, &, beta, -tricalcium phosphate (&, beta, -TCP), hydrogel, the skirt of artificial cornea