Abstract
Silicone rubber (SR) was γ-ray grafted with poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) to improve its ability to host antimicrobial drugs. Dependence of grafting yield on monomer concentration, pre-irradiation dose, temperature and reaction time was evaluated. Modified SR films were characterized by means of FT-IR, DSC, TGA, SEM, contact angle measurements, and swelling studies. SR-g-MAA showed pH sensitivity (critical pH ∼6) and good cytocompatibility. Soaking of SR-g-MAA in benzalkonium chloride and vancomycin aqueous solutions led to high loadings; up to 5.8 and 15.2 mg cm-2, respectively. SR-g-MAA released 100% vancomycin after 24 h in buffer pH 7.4 at 37 °C, but only 20% benzalkonium chloride due to strong ionic interactions. Drug-loaded SR-g-MAA prevented in vitro growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, grafting of PMAA may improve the performance of SR for biomedical applications.
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