Radiation synthesis of poly(N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone/itaconic acid) hydrogels and their controlled release behaviours

Abstract

N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone/itaconic acid copolymeric hydrogels were prepared by irradiating the ternary mixtures of N -vinyl 2-pyrrolidone/itaconic acid/water by γ-rays at ambient temperature. For the characterization of network structure of these hydrogels, swelling properties in phosphate buffer solutions and molecular weight between crosslinks were investigated. Methylene Blue was used as a model drug for the investigation of controlled release behaviour of hydrogels. Specific Methylene Blue adsorption capacity of hydrogels are found to increase from 0.36 to 47.7 (mg MB/g gel) with increasing amount of itaconic acid in the gel system. The influence of molecular weight between cross-links, the concentration of ionizable groups, ionization and concentration of MB in the hydrogel were examined. The release studies show that one of the basic parameters affecting the drug release behaviour of hydrogels is the pH of the solution.