title: Microwave-assisted hydrogel synthesis: a new method for crosslinking polymers in aqueous solutions.
abstract: It has been found that hydrogels may be formed by microwave irradiation of aqueous solutions containing appropriate combinations of polymers. This new method of hydrogel synthesis yields sterile hydrogels without the use of monomers, eliminating the need for the removal of unreacted species from the final product. Results for two particularly successful combinations, poly(vinyl alcohol) with either poly(acrylic acid) or poly(methylvinylether-alt-maleic anhydride), are presented. Irradiation using temperatures of 100-150 °C was found to yield hydrogels with large equilibrium swelling degrees of 500-1000 g g(-1) . Material leached from both types of hydrogel shows little cytotoxicity towards HT29 cells.
authors.affiliation: Reading School of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AD, UK.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Glenn W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Goodall
authors.forename: Olga V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Khutoryanskaya
authors.forename: Vitaliy V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Khutoryanskiy
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008872:Microwaves; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol