Alginate-g-PNIPAM-Based Thermo/Shear-Responsive Injectable Hydrogels: Tailoring the Rheological Properties by Adjusting the LCST of the Grafting Chains.

ABSTRACT: Graft copolymers of alginate backbone and N-isopropylacrylamide/N-tert-butylacrylamide random copolymer, P(NIPAM_x-co-NtBAM_y), side chains (stickers) with various NtBAM content were designed and explored in aqueous media. Self-assembling thermoresponsive hydrogels are formed upon heating, in all cases, through the hydrophobic association of the P(NIPAM_x-co-NtBAM_y) sticky pendant chains. The rheological properties of the formulations depend remarkably on the NtBAM hydrophobic content, which regulates the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and, in turn, the stickers' thermo-responsiveness. The gelation point, T_gel, was shifted to lower temperatures from 38 to 20 °C by enriching the PNIPAM chains

SUBMITTER: Safakas K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8067843 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature