Electro-stimulated release from a reduced graphene oxide composite hydrogel

Electro-stimulated release was established using a novel, electro-conductive hydrogel system comprising Jeffamine polyetheramine and polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) that was composited with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The swelling response, morphology, mechanical and electrochemical properties of the composite hydrogel were investigated. Enhanced mechanical and electrical properties were observed with increased rGO content. Passive and electro-stimulated release of methyl orange (MO) from these gels was examined. A significant reduction in passive release of the dye was observed by incorporating rGO. Upon electrical stimulation, the release rate and dosage could be tuned through variation of the % w/w rGO, as well as the polarity and amplitude of the applied electric potential. A high level of control and flexibility was achieved demonstrating the applicability of this system for localised drug delivery applications.