Robust and stimuli-responsive POSS hybrid PDMAEMA hydrogels for controlled drug release

A new polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) hybrid hydrogels were desinged and fabricated by introducing cationic octa-ammonium (Oa)-POSS) into chemically cross-linked cationic PDMAEMA hydrogels via in situ radical freezing polymerization. The prepared gels (shorten as OP-PD gels) show considerably improved properties through the effective incorporation and dispersion of Oa-POSS particles in gels. Comparing to the Oa-POSS-free gels, the hybrid gels own better mechanical properties with higher tensile and compressive strength. Meantime, except the decreased swelling ratio in acid condition, the OP-PD gels still keep excellent swelling ability with obvious pH and temperature double responsiveness, which is affected by the content of Oa-POSS slightly. All OP-PD gels exhibit an ultrarapid deswelling rate due to the interconnected micropores structure caused by freezing and the formation of microhydrophobic region around POSS particles. Moreover, the application potential of OP-PD gels in drug release was exploited by using flutamide as target drug, the result showed that the increased Oa-POSS could improve the drug loading ability, and OP-PD gels showed well controlled-release effect in simulated human stomachic condition. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2345-2355, 2016.