Hydrogels of Chitosan-graft-Poly(diethylamino ethyl methacrylate)

Poly(diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate, poly(DEAEM), was grafted onto chitosan, CH, under homogenous and heterogeneous conditions by using potassium persulphate, KPS, as the initiator to obtain pH responsive copolymers. The product, soluble in aqueous solution, was crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, GA. Gelation times of GA crosslinked CH and GA crosslinked CH-graft-poly(DEAEM) gels were experimentally found, and their swelling properties in aqueous solution were followed. Obtained samples were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis and FT-IR analysis. CH-TPP beads were prepared by coagulating CH in acetic acid solution in aqueous tripolyphosphate, TPP, solution. Then the beads were grafted by poly(DEAEM) by redox initiation. The antibiotic ciprofloxacin was loaded into the gel and drug release from CH-TPP beads and CH-TPP-graft-poly(DEAEM) beads was investigated. Keywords: chitosan gel, copolymerization, drug release, smart polymer