pH-controlled drug release of radiation synthesized graphene oxide/(acrylic acid-co-sodium alginate) interpenetrating network

Hydrogel biocomposites containing a combination of graphene oxide (GO) and natural polymer-based copolymer of sodium alginate (Alg) and acrylic acid (AAc) were prepared by radiation-induced copolymerization and crosslinking. FTIR, XRD, and AFM analyses revealed the successful preparation of single-layered graphene oxide sheets. FTIR and TGA data confirmed the incorporation of GO within the (AAc-co-Alg) copolymer hydrogel. The effect of GO content, as interpenetrating network, on the swelling behavior of (AAc-co-Alg) copolymer hydrogel was investigated. The results of the pH-dependent swelling showed the presence of GO within the prepared hydrogel improve the ability of the GO/(AAc-co-Alg) nanocomposite hydrogel to bypass the acidity of the simulated stomach medium (pH 1) without significant swelling and regulate it for longer period in simulated intestine medium (pH 7). Moreover, the swelling kinetics showed that all the samples under investigation possess Fickian at pH 1 and non-Fickian at pH 7. The evaluation of the prepared GO/(AAc-co-Alg) nanocomposite hydrogel as drug carrier was carried out in either simulated stomach and intestine media using cefadroxil as a model drug. The drug release profile came in a good agreement with swelling results which recommend the GO/(AAc-co-Alg) nanocomposite hydrogel as potential targeted drug delivery system.