Halloysite nanotube nanocomposite hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties and drug release behavior

Nanocomposite hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties and drug release behavior were prepared by halloysite nanotube (HNT), oligo(trimethylene carbonate)-poly(ethylene glycol)-oligo(trimethylene carbonate) diacrylate (TPT), and alginate sodium (AG). The mechanical properties of the hydrogel were greatly enhanced by the addition of small amount of HNT (2 wt%). The drug release behavior of the hydrogels was examined using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as model drug, and TPT hydrogel showed a fickcian diffusion controlled release mechanism, while the BSA transport mechanism in TPT-HNT, TPT-AG, and TPT-AG-HNT hydrogels were anomalous transport. The cytocompatibility of the hydrogel were verified by the MTT assay, and the hydrogel showed comparable cytocompatibility with the widely recognized poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel.