Graphene-laden hydrogels: A strategy for thermally triggered drug delivery

The synthesis of graphene-based materials has attracted considerable attention in drug delivery strategies. Indeed, the conductivity and mechanical stability of graphene have been investigated for controlled and tunable drug release via electric or mechanical stimuli. However, the design of a thermo-sensitive scaffold using pristine graphene (without distortions related to the oxidation processes) has not been deeply investigated yet, although it may represent a promising approach for several therapeutic treatments. Here, few-layer graphene was used as a nanofiller in a hydrogel system with a thermally tunable drug release profile. In particular, varying the temperature (25 degrees C, 37 degrees C and 44 degrees C), responsive drug releases were noticed and hypothesized depending on the formation and perturbation of pi-pi interactions involving graphene, the polymeric matrix and the model drug (diclofenac). As a result, these hybrid hydrogels show a potential application as thermally triggered drug release systems in several healthcare scenarios.

Automated summary

The study utilized few-layer graphene as a nanofiller in a hydrogel system to achieve a thermally tunable drug release profile. Responsive drug releases were observed by varying the temperature, hypothesized to be dependent on pi-pi interactions involving graphene, the polymeric matrix, and the model drug. This research demonstrates the potential application of these hybrid hydrogels as thermally triggered drug release systems in various healthcare scenarios.