Parvathy V.
University of Queensland, AU
Keywords: biphasic hydrogels, controlled drug delivery, liivng polymerization, nanoscopic tunning, RAFT
The current methods of drug delivery exhibit specific problems in designing a carrier for long-term release. Our aim is to fabricate biphasic hydrogels of predetermined molecular weights as carriers for long-term drug delivery. The rate of drug delivery will be controlled through a control of the morphology. To achieve this goal we have prepared biphasic hydrogels with HEMA segments, which are hydrophilic to impart hydrophilicity and desirable release characteristics, and nBMA hydrophobic segments to increase its mechanical strength.
The overall research goal of this thesis was to develop a tunable novel biphasic hydrogel. To accomplish this goal, block polymers with a wide range of block lengths were synthesized with narrow molecular weight distribution using the RAFT living free radical polymerization technique, and the morphologies correlated with their chain lengths. One of the goals of the research was to study the nanoscopic tuning of the interfacial energies between the blocks; this was achieved and is presented. Since our primary aim is to apply these polymeric films for controlled drug delivery, the transport of water by diffusion in the synthesized polymers was studied.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 2, Technical Proceedings of the 2006 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 2
Published: May 7, 2006
Pages: 783 - 786
Industry sectors: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | Personal & Home Care, Food & Agriculture
Topics: Advanced Materials for Engineering Applications, Composite Materials
ISBN: 0-9767985-7-3