Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)-Based Stimuli-Sensitive Hydrogel Containing Carbon Nanotube (CNT) and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

Abstract

The study focused on the synthesis of hydrogels using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as primary components and containing various proportions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The findings revealed that the hydrogels containing CNTs exhibited an increase in hydrophobic properties, with the average contact angle increasing from 14.77% (%PVA/PEG/DOX) to 73.73% (%PVA/PEG/CNT/DOX) and the swelling degree decreasing from 95 to 81%. Measurements using FTIR analysis and the observation of a decrease in surface free energy confirmed these findings. In addition, the hydrogels were observed to exhibit bioactivity. Drug release analysis was performed using ultrasound (US) at a frequency of 40 kHz and a temperature of 22 °C for periods of 15, 30, 45, and 60 min, excluding the use of ultrasound. The drug release assays revealed that even with the US effect, drug release decreased by approximately 6.71% as the CNT content increased. The results suggest that CNT-containing hydrogels have the potential to be valuable in drug delivery systems and could be a highly effective approach for drug delivery in the US. © King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals 2024.