Preparation and characterization of novel pH-sensitive binary grafted polymeric blends of gelatin and poly(vinyl alcohol): Water sorption and blood compatibility study

In this study, we attempted the synthesis and characterization of novel biocompatible hydrogels of binary polymeric blends of crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) grafted onto poly(vinyl alcohol) and gelatin by a redox polymerization technique. The end polymer was characterized by IR spectral analysis, differential scanning calorimetry measurements, and scanning electron microscopy. The prepared smart, environment-responsive hydrogels, containing polyelectrolyte domains, were assessed for their water sorption potential under various experimental conditions and were further used to evaluate important network parameters such as the crosslink density, number of elastically effective chains, and molecular mass between crosslinks. The diffusion mechanism of the solvent-polymer interaction was also analyzed to predict the behavior of continuously relaxing chains containing several carboxylate ions. The blood compatibility of premeditated hydrogels was also judged by in vitro methods such as protein adsorption, blood clot formation, and hemolysis percentage assay measurement. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.