Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rheological properties of functionalised thermosensitive copolymers for injectable applications in medicine

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Chemical Papers Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Functionalised triblock copolymers based on poly((lactic acid)-co-(glycolic acid)) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG-PLGA) further modified with 3-methylenetetrahydrofuran-2,5-dione (itaconic anhydride; ITA) exhibited sol-gel transition induced by increasing temperature. Rheological properties of a series of ITA/PLGA-PEG-PLGA/ITA copolymer concentrations (6–24 mass %) in deionised Milli-Q water were studied by both the test tube inverting method (TTIM) and rheometer. The gel stiffness increased with the polymer concentration shifting the gel point of the copolymer to the lower temperature. The present study demonstrates that each method describes a sol-gel transition, but the combined method gives comprehensive information about changes in colour, viscosity, elastic and loss moduli. Characterisation of such a gel is necessary for its further use, in order to determine whether the material is appropriate as an injectable biomedical hydrogel.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adler, J., Wang, S. F., & Lardy, H. A. (1957). The metabolism of itaconic acid by liver mitochondria. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 229, 865–879.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, D. S., Shim, M. S., Kim, S. W., Lee, H., Park, I., & Chang, T. (2001). Novel thermoreversible gelation of biodegradable PLGA-block-PEO-block-PLGA triblock copolymers in aqueous solution. Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 22, 587–592. DOI: 10.1002/1521-3927(20010501)22:8〈587::AIDMARC587〉3.0.CO;2-8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Michlovská, L., Vojtová, L., Mravcová, L., Hermanová, S., Kučerík, J., & Jančář, J. (2010). Functionalized conditions of PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymer with itaconic anhydride. Macromolecular Symposia, 295, 119–124. DOI: 10.1002/masy.200900071.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pratoomsoot, C., Tanioka, H., Hori, K., Kawasaki, K., Kinoshita, S., Tighe, P. J., Dua, H., Shakesheff, K. M.,& Rose, F. R. A. J. (2008). A thermoreversible hydrogel as a biosynthetic bandage for corneal wound repair. Biomaterials, 29, 272–281. DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2007.09.031.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shim, M. S., Lee, H. T., Shim, W. S., Park, I. S., Lee, H. J., Chang, T. H., Kim, S. W., & Lee, D. S. (2001). Poly(d,l-lactid acid-co-glycolic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly (d,l-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) triblock copolymer and thermoreversible phase transition in water. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 61, 188–196. DOI: 10.1002/ jbm.10164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winter, H. H., & Chambon, F. (1986). Analysis of linear viscoelasticity of a crosslinking polymer at the gel point. Journal of Rheology, 13, 367–382. DOI: 10.1122/1.549853.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, L., Chang, G. T., Zhang, H., & Ding, J. D. (2007). Temperature-induced spontaneous sol-gel transitions of poly (d,l-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-bpoly(d,l-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) triblock copolymers and their end-capped derivatives in water. Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, 45, 1122–1133. DOI: 10.1002/pola.21876.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, L., Zhang, H., & Ding, J. (2010). Effects of precipitate agents on temperature-responsive sol-gel transitions of PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymers in water. Colloid & Polymer Science, 288, 1151–1159. DOI: 10.1007/s00396-010-2246-2.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, L., Zhang, Z., & Ding, J. (2012). In vitro degradation and protein release of transport and opaque physical hydrogels of block copolymers at body temperature. Macromolecular Research, 20, 234–243. DOI: 10.1007/s13233-012-0049-7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zentner, G. M., Rathi, R., Shin, C., McRea, J. C., Seo, M. H., Oh, H., Rhee, B. G., Mestecky, J., Moldoveanu, Z., Morgan, M., & Weitman, S. (2001). Biodegradable block copolymers for delivery of proteins and water-insoluble drugs. Journal of Controlled Release, 72, 203–215. DOI: 10.1016/s0168-3659(01)00276-0.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 118, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Ivana Chamradová, Lucy Vojtová, Lenka Michlovská, Petr Poláček & Josef Jančář

  2. Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Technická 3058/10, 616 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Lucy Vojtová, Petr Poláček & Josef Jančář

Authors
  1. Ivana Chamradová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lucy Vojtová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lenka Michlovská
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Petr Poláček
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Josef Jančář
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ivana Chamradová.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chamradová, I., Vojtová, L., Michlovská, L. et al. Rheological properties of functionalised thermosensitive copolymers for injectable applications in medicine. Chem. Pap. 66, 977–980 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11696-012-0210-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11696-012-0210-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation