Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based comb-type grafted hydrogel with rapid response to blood glucose concentration change at physiological temperature

A new type of glucose-responsive hydrogel with rapid response to blood glucose concentration change at physiological temperature has been successfully developed. The polymeric hydrogel contains phenylboronic acid (PBA) groups as glucose sensors and thermo-responsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) groups as actuators. The response rate of the hydrogel to environmental glucose concentration change was significantly enhanced by introducing grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid) [poly(NIPAM-co-AAPBA)] side chains onto crosslinked poly(NIPAM-co-AAPBA) networks for the first time. The synthesized comb-type grafted poly(NIPAM-co-AAPBA) hydrogels showed satisfactory equilibrium glucose-responsive properties, and exhibited much faster response rate to glucose concentration change than normal type crosslinked poly(NIPAM-co-AAPBA) hydrogels at physiological temperature. Such glucose-responsive hydrogels with rapid response rate are highly attractive in the fields of developing glucose-responsive sensors and self-regulated drug delivery systems. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.