PHYSICAL NETWORKS BASED ON GELATIN AND AZO-POLYSILOXANES

Novel systems based on modified azo-polysiloxanes and gelatin with potential biological applications were prepared and characterized. Simultaneous rheological and UV irradiation studies allowed evidencing structural modification inside the gelatin matrix. For all analyzed samples a shift in the temperature corresponding to the physical network destructuration, from 30 degrees C (corresponding to gelatin) to 40 degrees C (for the composite) was noticed. The experimental results proved the existence of interactions between gelatin and polysiloxanes intensified after UV irradiation. The increase in the values of G' and G '' is a consequence of system restructuration leading to more arranged architectures able to release the included active principle. As a function of the azo-polysiloxane structure, the destructuration temperature of the composite can be tuned in the domain 30-40 degrees C.