Abstract
Introduction: The main objective of this study is to find the effects of cross-linker variation on swelling behavior of hydrogels at different temperatures, that is, 30 min-120 min. Hydrogels are three-dimensional cross-linked structural arrangement of the polymeric materials with the ability to absorb huge amounts of water while maintaining their dimensional stability. Materials and Methods: A solution of 20% glutaraldehyde (GA) was prepared in 100 ml standard flask by dissolving 20.0 g GA in a standard flask (of capacity 100 ml) and make up the volume up to the mark using demineralized water (DMW). The gelatin-polyethylene glycol (PEG) composite hydrogels were prepared by simultaneous method, in which all the constituent component networks are polymerized concurrently. Different combinations of gelatin-PEG composite hydrogels were prepared with methylene blue (MB) dye in it. Swelling was studied with the help of the following equation: I-s = W-d-W-s/W-d x100 Results and Discussion: The W d observation showed that the decrease in the absorbance of MB release through the sample membrane may be due to the contraction of the microvoids formed between the polymeric chains. Conclusion: Based on our results which conclude that with increasing crosslinking agent from 5 ml to 15 ml, swelling ratio of the prepared sample decreased from 473.83 to 428.97 in DMW due to the decrease in the pore diameter of the sample. As a result, more and more solvent diffuses into the matrix and produce gel with increased swelling ratio.