Evaluation of water sorption property and in vitro blood compatibility of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) based semi interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs)

Abstract

pH responsive smart biomaterials of gelatin and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-acrylic acid) were synthesized by redox polymerization and characterized by FTIR, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM). The prepared environmental responsive biomaterials containing polyelectrolyte segments were assessed for their water sorption potential under varying experimental conditions. The diffusion mechanism of transport of water molecules arising due to solvent-polymer interaction was also analysed to predict the behaviour of continuously relaxing macromolecular chains. The in vitro blood compatibility of the prepared polymeric hydrophilic materials was evaluated by methods such as blood clot formation, platelet adhesion, percent haemolysis and protein-adsorption study on the surface of the prepared biomaterials.