A crosslinked system from Scleroglucan derivative: preparation and characterization

Matrices obtained by a crosslinking reaction between the polycarboxylated d erivative of scleroglucan (sclerox) and 1,6-hexanedibromide have been prepa red and characterized. Different ratios between the alkane dihalide and scl erox yielded products with different properties. Water uptake by the hydrog el with a low degree of crosslinking was remarkably affected by ionic stren gth. The determination of the crosslink density is led by simultaneously so lving two Flory equilibrium equations referring to two different conditions characterized by the presence or the absence of a salt in the swelling age nt. Moreover, the swelling kinetics was studied by means of a recently prop osed model. Finally, the permeation of two model molecules (theophylline an d polystyrene sulphonate-sodium salt) through the hydrogels was evaluated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.