Studies on Preparation and Swelling Properties of the N-Isopropylacrylamide/Chitosan Semi-IPN and IPN Hydrogels

摘要

Semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) polymer gels and interpenetrating network (IPN) polymer gels with thermosensitivity wer prepared by introducing a biodegradable polymer, chitosan, into the N-isopropyacrylamide (PNIPAAm) gel system. The swelling behavior, temperature sensitivity, pH sensitity, gel strength, and drug-release behavior of PNIPAAm/chitosan semi-IPN and IPN hydrogels were investigated. The results indicated that the NIPAAm/chitosan semi-IPN and IPN hydrogels exhibited pH and temperature-sensitivity behavior and could slow drug release and diffusion from the gels. From the stress-strain curves of the hydrogels, the compression moduli of IPN gels containing crosslinked chitosan were higher than those of semi-IPN gels. This is because IPN gels have a more compact structure. The morphology of PNIPAAm/chitosan hydrogels was also investigated.