Highly Glycerin-loaded Natural Rubber Films Prepared by Casting Technique using Different Solvents

The highly glycerin-loaded natural rubber (NR) films were fabricated by casting technique with different solvents including dichloromethane (DCM), diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran (THF) with an addition of 75 pin glycerin. Their mechanical properties, wettability and topography were determined. The highly glycerin-loaded NR films exhibited the continuous porous structure which their tensile strength values decreased whereas their wettability was enhanced. Pore size of the glycerin-loaded NR films prepared by using DCM as a solvent was greatly larger than those of the systems prepared by using diethyl ether and THF, respectively. Some active compounds might be loaded into these modified porous structures of NR films and applied for controlled drug delivery systems.