Hello,

In this way you produce the cryogel and cryogels are usually well cross-linked and therefore does not swell compare to hydrogel. Moreover probably you used high content of GA, high % of cross-linking. Also in water at pH 7 chitosan-GA hydrogel or cryogel won't swell, due to aminogroup is unprotonated. 3D-macroporous chitosan-based scaffolds with in situ formed Pd and Pt nanoparticles for nitrophenol reduction D Berillo, A Cundy Carbohydrate polymers 192, 166-175 2018

Due to high cross linking from by GA

To overcome this، use lower concentration of GA

Thank you for your suggestions