Engineering diffusivity in copper-alginate hydrogels via electrodeposition and modellingAmbrožič, Rok (Avtor) copper-crosslinked hidrogelsdiffusion modellingelectrodepositiondrug deliverymodel-based designCopper-crosslinked alginate hydrogels present a promising platform for engineered membranes due to their tunable permeability, structural robustness, and biocompatibility. In this study, a quantitative framework was developed to control and predict solute transport through these hydrogels by combining electrodeposition synthesis with mechanistic modelling. Hydrogels were fabricated under varying current densities and deposition times, and their effective diffusion coefficients were experimentally determined using a custom two-chamber diffusion system with theophylline as a model solute. The results demonstrated a strong inverse dependence of diffusivity on both electrochemical parameters, reflecting increased cross-linking density and reduced mesh size. An empirical, power-law exponential correlation was established linking the effective diffusion coefficient to electrodeposition conditions. Fick’s second law was numerically solved for a three-domain (donor–hydrogel–acceptor) system using a finite difference scheme that incorporated interfacial mass transfer and partition coefficients. Simulated concentration profiles showed excellent agreement with experimental data, confirming the model’s predictive capability. This integrated experimental–computational approach enabled precise engineering of hydrogel membrane properties and offered a scalable strategy for process design in drug delivery, separation, and biointerface applications.20262025-08-11 09:38:17Članek v reviji171146sl