• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.469-476
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• 2009

In this study, biodegradable superporous hydrogels(SPHs) with fast swelling and superabsorbent properties were prepared using biodegradable crosslinkers and their physicochemical properties were characterized. A biodegradable crosslinker (PLA-PEG-PLA DA) was synthesized by a ring opening polymerization of D,L-lactide (LA) using hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) as a macroinitiator, followed by diacrylation of the end groups for the introduction of polymerizable vinyl groups. Various kinds of hydrogels with different chemical compositions were prepared and characterized in terms of swelling ratio, swelling kinetics, and biodegradation properties. The synthetic results were confirmed by $^1H$-NMR, FT-IR and GPC measurements, and the porous structures of the prepared SPHs and their porosities were identified by a scanning electron microscope and mercury porosimetry, respectively. The physicochemical properties of SPHs could be controlled by varying their chemical compositions and their cytotoxicity were found to be very low by MTT assay.