Nano-Sized Hydrogel Composites Based on N-Isopropylacrylamide and Magnetite for Controlled Drug Delivery

Abstract

Synthesis and characterization studies of promising nano-sized hydrogel composites based on nisopropylacrylamide and magnetite have been studied. N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) gel component was used as a carrier of various drugs, magnetite was used as a magneto-responsive component. Presence of magnetite it was proved by EPR method. Composite nanoparticles were characterized by electron microscopy (TEM) and by dynamyc light scattering (DLS) method. It was shown that the average size of nanoparticles is 50 or 100 nm, depending on the method of preparation. The hydrogel is characterized by clear phase transition between swollen and collapsed state upon heating above 32⁰C. Rapid release of the incorporated drug (as a model was used the photosensibilizer -Methylene Blue) observed during thermoresponsive nanocomposite gels heating in the physiologically acceptable range, but still above phase transition temperature (up to 40–50 ⁰C), allows application of the discussed drug delivery systems in medical hyperthermia.