Swelling behavior and drug release of amphiphilic N-isopropylacrylamide terpolymer xerogels depending on polymerization methods: gamma-irradiation polymerization and redox initiated polymerization

Amphiphilic terpolymer xerogels were prepared from N-isopropyl acrylamide, acrylic acid, and n-dodecyl acrylamide by both chemical redox initiated pol ymerization and gamma-irradiation polymerization. The swelling equilibrium and swelling kinetics of amphiphilic xerogels prepared by these two polymer ization methods were compared. Drug release behavior was also compared usin g 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as a model drug, in order to elucidate the effect o f polymerization method. gamma-Irradiation polymerization provided amphiphi lic terpolymer xerogels which exhibited slower swelling and drug release th an chemical redox initiated polymerization.