Interpenetrated polymeric networks based on gellan and poly(vinyl alcohol)

The paper deals with the hydrogels of interpenetrated networks obtained by reticulation of a mixture of gellan and poly(vinyl alcohol) with epichlorohydrine in basic medium and their characterization with respect to the swelling capacity in water. The influence of some factors on the reticulation density (estimated indirectly from the swelling characteristics) is followed, namely: the macromolecular components ratio in the mixture, the polymer/reticulation agent ratio, duration, and temperature. By the proper choice of these parameter values, the hydrogels of preset swelling characteristics can be obtained. Preliminary tests proved the possibility of using these materials as carriers for drugs in view of their controlled release.