Preparation of stable polyvinyl alcohol/polyurea hydrogel using oligomeric compounds containing urea-bonded

Abstract

The aim of this research is the production of a biocompatible hydrogel film with high stability; the polymer should absorb enough water, and its structure should be preserved in water for a long time and not disintegrate. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was chosen as the main polymeric base of the desired hydrogel. Oligomeric compounds with urea bonded containing active groups at two chain ends can react with the hydroxyl groups of the polymer and play the role of a cross-linker. Urea linkage oligomers (ULO) were prepared by reacting 2 mol of sulfamic acid, 3 mol of phosphorus, and 8 mol of urea in a molten state. The amount of PVA was kept constant, while the amount of ULO was different, the prepolymer solution was mold-dried at ambient temperature and subjected to a heat press. The gel behavior and characterization of the polymer films were investigated by FT-IR, NMR, SEM, ion chromatography, and XRD analyses, the data on the tensile strength and antibacterial properties of the samples are also reported. The production of a hybrid composite consisting of PVA and polyurea under the heat press has been confirmed; the ammonium phosphate, sulfate, nitrate, and melamine powder were produced in the layer of polymer structure. This innovative hybrid polymer with a network of urea bonds can be a favorable option for skin treatment applications due to the specific characteristic of urea known as keratolytic.