Thermo- and pH-Sensitive Hybrid Hydrogels Based on Unsaturated Derivatives of Sodium Alginate and Diethylacrylamide

AbstractThe influence of the composition of hybrid hydrogels based on macromonomeric unsaturated derivative of sodium alginate and diethylacrylamide synthesized by radical copolymerization with redox initiation on their structure and properties was studied. It was shown that the introduction and an increase in the content of alginate macromonomer lead to significant changes in the supramolecular structure of the hydrogels and cause a decrease in their swelling degrees. At the content of the alginate component in the hydrogels above 10 wt %, in addition to the network structure of the synthetic polymer, denser alginate networks are formed which determine an increase in the volume transition temperature. In vitro experiments on lidocaine release from the hybrid hydrogels carried out under different conditions demonstrate that the drug release rate depends on medium pH and temperature. The data obtained are of interest for designing stimuli-sensitive drug carriers.