Temperature-responsive alginate-g-poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) copolymer: Synthesis, characterization, and swelling behavior

Temperature-responsive polymers have recently gained importance due to their applications in drug delivery. Herein, temperature-responsive graft copolymer (Alg-g-PDEAAm) of alginate and N,N-diethylacrylamide was synthesized by microwave-assisted copolymerization using potassium persulfate/N,N,N,N-tetramethylethylenediamine initiator system. The reaction conditions for the best grafting (331%) have been optimized by changing microwave irradiation time, temperature, N,N-diethylacrylamide, and alginate concentrations. The spectroscopic characteristic, thermal properties, and surface morphology of the copolymers were investigated by FTIR, H-1-NMR, DSC/TGA, XRD, gel permeation chromatography, and SEM. Furthermore, low critical solution temperatures of Alg-g-PDEAAm copolymers were detected by UV spectroscopy. Swelling ratio of graft microspheres was carried out at 25, 32, and 37 degrees C, and microspheres were found exhibiting temperature-responsive property. Cytotoxicity test indicated the Alg-g-PDEAAm copolymer and its microsphere were biocompatible. Therefore, based on the results the synthesized temperature-responsive copolymer could be considered as a promising biomaterial. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46688.