A novel amphiphilic pH-sensitive hydrogel based on pullulan

Abstract

Novel polyelectrolyte and amphiphilic hydrogels based on pullulan have been prepared using 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)-propyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride and N-hydroxysuccinimide. The cross-linking reaction is fast and lead to zero length ester cross-links by the reaction of a carboxylate group with an alcohol function of the polysaccharide. The charge density and the hydrophobic rate of the precursor carboxymethylpullulan (CMP) are controlled during the carboxymethylation of pullulan and the grafting reaction of octyl chains on CMP, respectively. The grafting degree influences the conformation of the hydrophobically modified CMP (HMCMP) in solution and leads to the formation of hydrophobic clusters firstly in the HMCMP solutions and further in the HMCMP hydrogels. The swelling measurements of HMCMP hydrogels at different salt concentrations (0–0.2 M NaCl) and different pH (3–11) shows the ionic strength and pH sensitivity of the gels. The loading of a hydrophobic probe molecule can be controlled by the grafting degree of HMCMP hydrogels.