Thermo- and pH-sensitive IPN hydrogels based on PNIPAAm and PVA-Ma networks with LCST tailored close to human body temperature

Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels based on chemically modified poly(vinyl alcohol) (or PVA-Ma), with different degrees of substitution (DS), and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (or PNIPAAm) were obtained and characterized in this work. The PVA-Ma/PNIPAAm membrane hydrogels were prepared in two steps. In the first step the PVA-Ma hydrogels (with using PVA-Ma with different DS) were prepared by the reaction of double bonds on PVA-Ma, using the persulfate/TEMED pathway. In the second step the PNIPAAm network was prepared within the parent PVA-Ma network at different PVA-Ma/NIPAAm ratios using a photoreaction pathway. The studies show that degree of swelling of PVA-Ma/PNIPAAm IPN hydrogels is dependent on both temperature and pH of the soaking solution. The LCST of PVA-Ma/PNIPAAm IPN hydrogels, which was determined by measuring the intensity of light transmitted through the swollen hydrogels, can be tailored closer to human body temperature. Furthermore, SEM images showed that the IPN hydrogels present characteristic morphology as compared to parent PVA-Ma networks. IPN hydrogels presented lower cytotoxicity as compared to respective PVA-Ma hydrogels but the increase in the PVA-Ma/NIPAAm ratio allows the respective hydrogels being lesser cytocompatibles. The IPN hydrogels synthesized in this work presented characteristics that potentize their application as biomaterials, drug carriers, artificial muscles and treatment of wound.