Preparation of pH-Sensitive Poly (N-(2-Hydroxyethyl) Acrylamide-co-acrylic Acid) Hydrogels and Their Performance

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Drug delivery systems require materials with tunable physical properties.
• Hydrogels are promising carriers but often limited by poor swelling.
• Developing hydrogels with high swelling is crucial for efficient drug encapsulation and release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize Poly (N-(2-hydroxyethyl) acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (Poly (HEAA-co-AA)) hydrogels with enhanced swelling properties.
• To investigate the impact of monomer ratio and pH on hydrogel swelling.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties of the synthesized hydrogels for potential drug carrier applications.

Main Methods:

• Free radical polymerization of neutralized acrylic monomers was used for hydrogel synthesis.
• Swelling properties were systematically studied in water and various pH buffer solutions.
• Mechanical properties were assessed through rheological tests.

Main Results:

• Hydrogel swelling is highly sensitive to monomer ratio and pH.
• Optimal HEAA to AA molar ratio of 2:2 yielded maximum swelling (11.36 g/g at pH 1.68, 112.79 g/g at pH 9.18).
• Poly (HEAA-co-AA) hydrogels demonstrated improved mechanical properties and stability compared to Poly (AA) hydrogels.

Conclusions:

• Poly (HEAA-co-AA) hydrogels offer tunable, high swelling capabilities.
• The optimized hydrogel composition (2:2 HEAA/AA molar ratio) provides excellent mechanical stability.
• These hydrogels represent a significant advancement for drug carrier systems.