Preparation of hydrophilic polyhydroxyalkyl glutamine crosslinked films and its biodegradability

Polybenzyl glutamate (PBLG) or polymethyl glutamate (PMLG) films have been aminolyzed with amino alcohol and crosslinked with aliphatic diamine at 60 degrees C for 48 h simultaneously which led to the formation of crosslinked films of polyhydroxyalkyl glutamine (PHAG). ATR-IR indicates that for the aminolysis of PBLG with 2-amino-1-ethanol or 3-amino-1-propanol, benzyl glutamate almost completely turned to hydroxyalkyl glutamine, however for the aminolysis of PMLG with 5-amino-1-pentanol, methyl glutamate partially turned to hydroxypentanyl glutamine. The water-swelling test shows that water-swelling ratio Q of PHAG films from amino alcohol with longer carbon chain was smaller, the PHAG films crosslinked by 1,2-diamino ethane have the higher water-swelling ratio Q, but the PHAG films crosslinked by 1,8-diamino octane have the lower water swelling ratio Q; and PHAG films with a greater amount of crosslinking agents have high crosslinking density or the low water swelling-ratio Q for same amino alcohol and diamine. It is obvious from in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis test that specimens with smaller swelling ratio Q displayed larger T(1/2), time for half weight digestion of PHAG film, that is, less biodegradability. Therefore, biodegradability of the crosslinked PHAG films can be controlled by changing amino alcohol and diamine.