Abstract
Thermosensitive hydrogels based on N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and ethylene glycol vinyl ether (EGVE) were synthesized and investigated as potential biomaterials for controlled drug delivery applications. The hydrogels were prepared by free-radical copolymerization using different molar ratios of NIPAM and EGVE to tailor their physicochemical properties. The influence of copolymer composition on the swelling behavior and temperature-responsive characteristics of the polymer networks was systematically examined. Equilibrium swelling experiments demonstrated that increasing the EGVE content in the initial monomer mixture significantly enhanced the water uptake capacity of the hydrogels due to the higher hydrophilicity of the polymer matrix. In contrast, increasing the proportion of NIPAM strengthened the thermoresponsive behavior, resulting in a more pronounced thermocollapse near the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), which is characteristic of poly(NIPAM)-based materials. The loading and interaction of the synthesized hydrogels with streptocide were also evaluated to assess their drug encapsulation capability. The results indicated that the hydrogels effectively absorbed and retained the model drug while maintaining their temperature-sensitive properties. Owing to their tunable swelling behavior, reversible thermal response, and satisfactory drug-loading performance, the developed NIPAM–EGVE hydrogels show considerable promise as controlled drug delivery carriers and as hydrogel-based ointment matrices for pharmaceutical and biomedicalapplications.