Abstract
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) andPDMS/PEO/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) block copolymers were synthesized and the effects of PDMS/PEO block size, as well as the PMMA content, on permeabilities at 37° C were investigated for both hydrophilic steroids (testosterone and hydrocortisone) and a lipophilic steroid (progesterone) using a two-compartment diffusion cell. It was found that increasing the block size of PDMS resulted in a marked increase in the permeability for the lipophilic steroid, but a decrease in the permeability for the hydrophilic steroids. The reverse was observed when the block size of PEO was increased. An increase in the permeability of hydrocortisone by two orders of magnitude over that of pure PDMS was achieved. The incorporation of PMMA improved the mechanical properties of the copolymer but lowered permeabilities for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic steroids. The quantitative relationships between the permeabilities of these steroids and copolymer structures were established.
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