Controlled release of theophylline from poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels/porous silicon nanostructured systems

In this research, hybrid hydrogels of poly (vinyl alcohol)/ porous silicon (PSi)/theophylline were synthesized by the freezing and thawing method. We evaluated the influence of the synthesis parameters of the poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels in relation to their ability to swell and drug released. The parameters studied (using an experimental design developed in Minitab 16) were the polymer concentration, the freezing temperature and the number of freezing/thawing (f/t) cycles. Nanostructured porous silicon particles (NsPSi) and theophylline were added within the polymer matrix to increase the drug charge and the polymer mechanical strength. The hybrid hydrogels were characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy Fourier Transform (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), drug delivery kinetics were engineered according to the desired drug release schedule.