Composite poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels synthesized using UV and gamma irradiation: comparison of material properties

摘要

Composite hydrogels capable of controlled drug delivery via ion exchange are an interesting group of materials for the construction of implantable drug reservoirs for electrically charged drugs. In this study, we synthesized composite poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly(acrylic acid) (PLGA-PAA) hydrogels by sequential application of UV or gamma irradiation and traditional phase inversion. Physicochemical properties of the composite PLGAPAA hydrogels were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). We examined the ion exchange capacity (IEC) and swelling behavior of these materials to determine their potential as drug reservoirs.