• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 2005

pH-sensitive hydrogels were studied as a drug carrier for the protection of insulin from the acidic environment of the stomach before releasing it in the small intestine. In this study, hydrogels based on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) networks grafted with methacrylic acid (MAA) or acrylic acid (AAc) were prepared via a two-step process. PEO hydrogels were prepared by ${\gamma}-ray $ irradiation (radiation dose: 50 kGy, dose rate: 7.66 kGy/h), grafted by either MAA or AAc monomers onto the PEO hydrogels and finally underwent irradiation (radiation dose: 520 kGy, dose rate: 2.15 kGy/h). These grafted hydrogels showed a pH-sensitive swelling behavior. The grafted hydrogels were used as a carrier for the drug delivery systems for the controlled release of insulin. Drug-loaded hydrogels were placed in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) for 2 hr and then in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8). The in vitro drug release behaviors of these hydrogels were examined by quantification analysis with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.189-193
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• 2003

pH- and temperature-sensitive bifunctional hydrogels composed of N-isopropylacrylamide (NiPAAm) and a sulfadimethoxine monomer (SDM) derived from sulfadimethoxine were prepared. These hydrogels exhibit simultaneous pH- and temperature-induced volume-phase transitions. The pH-induced volume-phase transition behavior is produced by the ionization/deionization of SDM and is very sharp. In the high pH region, the ionization of SDM induces swelling of the hydrogels. In the low pH region, the deionization of SDM induces deswelling of the hydrogels. The temperature-induced volume-phase transition behavior of the bifunctional hydrogels exhibits negative thermosensitivity because of the NiPAAm component. The hydrogels swell even at low pH as the temperature decreases. The hydrogels swell at low temperature and high pH, and deswell at high temperature and low pH. The volume of the hydrogels dependl on the balance of the swelling and deswelling produced by the two competing stimuli, pH and temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2016

In this study, preparation of positively and negatively charged carbon nanotube (CNT)-collagen (CG) hydrogels with pH sensitive characteristic was reported. The positive and negative characteristics of the prepared hydrogels were created by introduction of positively functionalized CNT-NH₂ and negatively functionalized CNT-COOH, respectively, into the collagen hydrogel. The surface charge of CNTs (CNT-NH₂ and CNT-COOH), CG and CNTs/CG hydrogels was measured by Zetasizer. The swelling ratios of CNT-NH₂/CG and CNT-COOH/CG hydrogels in aqueous solution were checked by measuring of weight changes of the hydrogels in the range of pH 2~10. In detail, the positively charged CNT-NH₂/CG hydrogel swelled up to 5% at pH 4 in comparison to the weight at pH 7, while the negatively charged CNT-COOH/CG hydrogel swelled up to 10% at pH 10. The prepared CNT-NH₂/CG and CNT-COOH/CG hydrogels will be very useful as pH sensitive oral drug-delivering systems for gastrointestine (pH ~2) and small intestine (pH ~9), respectively.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.983-987
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• 2005

Hydrogels composed of glycidyl methacrylate dextran (GMD) and poly(acrylic acid, PM) were prepared by UV irradiation method for colon-specific drug delivery. GMD was synthesized by coupling of glycidyl methacrylate to dextran in the presence of 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine. GMD was photo-polymerized by ammonium peroxydisulfate as initiating system in phosphate­buffered solution (0.1 M, pH 7.4). And then, acrylic acid monomer was added and subsequently heat-polymerized by 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. The hydrogels exhibited high swelling ratio (about 20) at $37^{\circ}C$, and showed a pH-dependent swelling behavior. In addition, the swelling ratio of the hydrogel was remarkably enhanced to about 45 times in the presence of dextranase at pH 7.4. The swelling-deswelling behavior proceeded reversibly for the GMD/PM hydrogels between pH 2 and pH 7.4. Release of 5-aminosalicylic acid from the GMD/PAA hydrogels was evaluated in simulated gastrointestinal pH fluids in the absence or presence of dextranase. We concluded that the hydrogels prepared could be used as a dual-sensitive drug carrier for sequential release in gastrointestinal tract.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1025-1031
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• 2009

Several kinds of biodegradable hydrogels were prepared via in situ photopolymerization of Pluronic F127/poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) macromer and acrylic acid (AA) comonomer in aqueous medium. The swelling kinetics measurements showed that the resultant hydrogels exhibited both thermo- and pH-sensitive behaviors, and that this stimuli-responsiveness underwent a fast reversible process. With increasing pH of the local buffer solutions, the pH sensitivity of the hydrogels was increased, while the temperature sensitivity was decreased. In vitro hydrolytic degradation in the buffer solution (pH 7.4, $37^{\circ}C$), the degradation rate of the hydrogels was greatly improved due to the introduction of the AA comonomer. The in vitro release profiles of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in-situ embedded into the hydrogels were also investigated: the release mechanism of BSA based on the Peppas equation was followed Case II diffusion. Such biodegradable dual-sensitive hydrogel materials may have more advantages as a potentially interesting platform for smart drug delivery carriers and tissue engineering scaffolds.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 2014

The pH sensitive hydrogels composed of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) and acryloyl phenylalanine (APA) were prepared by redox polymerization using N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent, Keterolac Tromethamine (KT), was loaded successfully into poly(NIPA-co-APA) copolymeric hydrogels by swelling equilibrium method. To understand the nature of drug in the polymeric matrix, the newly synthesized drug loaded poly(NIPA-co-APA) copolymeric hydrogels were characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique result indicates the spherical smooth surface of the hydrogels. The drug (KT) releasing nature of the poly(NIPA-co-APA) hydrogels was studied in pH 1.2 and 7.4. Effects of drug loading, crosslinking agent, pH and the ionic strength of the external medium on swelling of hydrogels were also investigated.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.734-738
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• 2009

Biodegradable, pH-sensitive, glycol chitosan (GC) hydrogels were prepared using divinyl adipate (DVA) as a crosslinker and acetic acid as a catalyst. DVA has highly reactive double vinyl ester groups and GC contains a high density of hydroxyl groups, with two in every glucosamine unit. The transesterification reaction between vinyl esters and hydroxyl groups produced crosslinked GC hydrogels. The initial crosslinking reaction was monitored by measuring the viscosity of the reaction mixture. When DVA was added to the GC solution and heated to $50^{\circ}C$, the viscosity of the GC solution gradually increased, implying a crosslinking reaction and hydrogel formation. A new peak from the ester group was observed in the FTIR spectra of the GC hydrogels, confirming the crosslinking reaction. The synthesized GC hydrogel showed pH-dependent water absorbency, mainly due to the presence of amine groups ($-NH_2$) at the C-2 position of the glucosamine unit of GC. The water absorbency greatly increased at acidic pH and slightly decreased at alkaline pH. The GC hydrogel gradually degraded in $37^{\circ}C$ water due to hydrolysis of the ester bonds, which were intermolecular crosslinking sites. A red dye, 5-carboxyltetramethyl-rhodamine (CTMR), was entrapped in the GC hydrogels as a model compound. CTMR was released from GC hydrogels in two steps: an initial burst release mainly due to desorption and diffusion, and a second sustained release possibly due to gradual degradation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.299-304
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• 2005

There have been many efforts to use anionic hydrogels as oral protein delivery carriers due to their pH-responsive swelling behavior. The dynamic swelling behavior of poly(methacrylic acid-co-methacryloxyethyl glucoside) [P(MAA-co-MEG)] hydrogels was investigated to determine the mechanism of water transport through these anionic hydrogels. The exponential relation $M_t/M_{\infty}=kt^n$ was used to calculate the exponent, n, describing the Fickian or non-Fickian behavior of swelling polymer networks. The mechanism of water transport through these gels was significantly affected by the pH of the swelling medium. The mechanism of water transport became more relaxation-controlled in the swelling medium of pH 7.0 that was higher than the $pK_a$ of the gels. Experimental results of time-dependent swelling behavior of the gels were analyzed with several mathematical models. Using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, the effect of ionization of the carboxylic acid groups in the polymer networks on the water transport mechanism was investigated.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.122-126
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• 2010

The alginate-based hydrogel was prepared as a pH-sensitive drug delivery system. To enhance the drug loading capacity, activated carbon was introduced as a drug absorbent. The iron oxide was incorporated into the alginate matrix for the magnetic transferring to the target organ. The activated carbon and iron-oxide were dispersed uniformly in the alginate hydrogel. The drug release from the alginate/activated carbon composite hydrogel was carried out in various pH conditions with vitamin B12 and Lactobacillus lamnosers as model drugs. The fast and sustainable release of drug was observed in the basic condition due to the pH-sensitive solubility of alginate. The novel drug delivery system having pH-sensitive release property and magnetic movement to target place was developed by using the alginate/activated carbon composite magnetic hydrogels.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.372-376
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• 1989

Equilibrium swelling and pH-sensitivity of a polyelectrolyte copolymer hydrogel were controlled by employing copolymers with different hydrophilic-hydrophobic balances. Model pH-sensitive hydrogels, e.g., poly(methacrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid-co-acrylamide), poly(methacrylic acid-co-2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate), poly(methacrylic acid-co-styrene) were synthesized at various monomer compositions. As hydrophobicity of the copolymer hydrogels increased, the equilibrium swelling decreased while the pH-sensitivity increased. In the case of poly(methacrylic acid-co-acrylamide), polymer-polymer interaction significantly affected the equilibrium swelling and provided a wide range control of pH-sensitivity.