Drug release from heat-treated polyvinyl alcohol films

Abstract

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films containing 10% w/w of a model drug, sulphathiazole, were cast from aqueous solutions and subjected to heat treatment at specific temperatures for known periods of time. Heat treatment at temperatures above the T_g of the PVA films slowed down the rate of drug release from the films. Increasing the temperature of heat treatment from 120°C to 160°C further decreased the rate of drug release. On the other hand, if the heat treatment were conducted at a temperature below the T_g e.g. at 80°C, there were insignificant differences between the release profile of sulphathiazole from heat-treated films and that from untreated films. The duration of heat treatment affected the rate of drug release to a smaller extent compared to the temperature of heat treatment. These results correlated with the heat induced changes in the morphology of, and in the extent of water uptake by the PVA films.     

Magnetically mediated release of ciprofloxacin from polyvinyl alcohol based superparamagnetic nanocomposites

Polymer nanocomposites exhibiting superparamagnetic behavior have been recognized as a promising tool to achieve targeted drug delivery using external magnetic field for treating complex diseases like cancers and tumors. The present investigation attempts to design a superparamagnetic nanocomposite which could desirably deliver ciprofloxacin drug by application of varying magnetic field. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, a polymer matrix of polyvinyl alcohol-g-polymethyl methacrylate was prepared by free radical polymerization and iron oxide particles were impregnated by in situ precipitation method. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by techniques like FTIR, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and XRD and magnetization studies were performed to ensure superparamagnetic behavior. The antibiotic drug ciprofloxacin was loaded onto the magnetic nanocomposites and the influence of various factors such as percent loading, chemical composition of the nanocomposite, applied magnetic field, pH of the release medium were investigated on the release profiles of the drug. The chemical integrity of the drug and its antibacterial potential were also studied. The dynamics of the release process was also examined mechanistically.     

Mechanical performance and biodegradability of polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite films

This study investigated the mechanical properties and biodegradability of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films. 3 wt.%, 5 wt.%, and 10 wt.% microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), commercial grade cellulose nanocrystals (NCC_A), and nanocellulose (NCC_B) extracted from oil palm fiber (OPF) were incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol by solvent casting. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images indicated that the average particle size of microcrystalline cellulose, commercial grade cellulose nanocrystals, and nanocellulose extracted from oil palm fiber are 12.63 μm±5.71 μm, 502.92 nm±196.10 nm, and 79.20 nm±11.69 nm, respectively. Nanofillers dispersed uniformly in polyvinyl alcohol matrix. Addition of microcrystalline cellulose up to 5 wt.% was able to improve the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength of polyvinyl alcohol composite films but sacrificed the maximum elongation. Incorporation of 5 wt.% nanocellulose extracted from oil palm fiber is able to increase ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elastic modulus while maintaining the maximum elongation of polyvinyl alcohol composite films. Incorporation of commercial grade cellulose nanocrystals (up to 10 wt.%) increases ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and maximum elongation while maintaining elastic modulus of polyvinyl alcohol composite films. Soil burial test result found that presence of moisture accelerated the degradation of the polyvinyl alcohol composite films drastically; the films were fully dissolved in the soil after 7 days. However, the weight of polyvinyl alcohol composite films did not change significantly after 28 days under controlled condition. This indicated that soil moisture is an important catalyst in biodegradation activity of polyvinyl alcohol composite films. Comparison with a commercially available biodegradable plastic bag (Bio-PB) shows that the polyvinyl alcohol composite films developed in this study have superior mechanical performance and biodegradability, with potential to replace existing plastic bags.     

聚乙烯醇/蒙脱土纳米复合薄膜的制备与性能研究?

以甘油作为增塑剂,经溶液流延法加工制备出 PVA/MMT 纳米复合薄膜,研究了纳米蒙脱土(MMT)对聚乙烯醇(PVA)的改性作用。通过对薄膜的结构表征、力学、光学、吸水性、热稳定性等性能研究表明,DK4型号 MMT 与 PVA 分子有着很好的相容性,添加了不同比例的 MMT 均不同程度提高了薄膜的抗拉强度、热稳定性,降低了薄膜的断裂伸长率、吸水性、水蒸气透过系数、透光率,其中添加了1％ DK4型MMT的PVA薄膜有着最好的改性效果。     

Biodegradable amylose films reinforced by graphene oxide and polyvinyl alcohol

Graphene oxide/amylose (GO/amylose) composite films with different amounts of graphene oxide (GO), glycerol and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were prepared by a solution casting method. The structure, morphologies, and properties of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy and tensile tests. The results indicated good dispersion of the GO nanosheets in the GO/amylose composite films and consequently a significant improvement in their mechanical properties. The addition of GO increased the tensile strength of the GO/amylose films, significantly. When glycerol was used as a plasticizer, the elongation at break of the films increased. When PVA was also added to the composite films, the films were mechanically strong and flexible. The incorporation of GO also decreased the moisture absorbability and UV transmittance of the films. The stability of the GO/amylose films in acidic and alkaline solutions was also studied and the films had excellent stability in both acidic and alkaline aqueous mediums.     

Self-enhancement of holographic gratings in dichromated gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol films

New experimental results concerning real-time hologram recording in dichromated sensitized gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol are presented. Self-enhancement of the holographic gratings observed in the dark in both of these dye-polymer systems is shown.     

On the critical indices of the polarization process in polyvinyl alcohol films

The polarization of polyvinyl alcohol films has been investigated. It has been established that it is a consequence of the breakdown of the cluster of intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the polyvinyl alcohol-water system. The critical indices of the breakdown process from the viewpoint of the phase, percolation, and fractal approximations have been found. __________ Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 79, No. 5, pp. 59–63, September–October, 2006.     

Investigation of electroconductive films composed of polyvinyl alcohol and graphitized carbon black

Films consisting of the polymer (polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)) matrix and the filler (graphitized carbon black (CB)) were prepared and examined using TMA, contact angle, and conductivity measurements. Existence of weak interaction between the molecules of PVA and the surface of CB was established. The changes occurring in the process of the thermal treatment and the chlorination of composite films were evaluated using the contact angle measurements. The results of DC conductivity measurements were approached using a model of filler cluster formation in the polymer matrix. The model of this concept is based on the percolation theory and the fractal structure of the filler network. The films exposed to environment of a certain relative humidity and the chlorinated films were examined this way. The size of the clusters, which were formed in the matrix of PVA was determined. It was established that the change of conductivity in the process of moisture adsorption runs through the aggregation of clusters.     

Thermally stimulated discharge current studies of pure and doped polyvinyl alcohol films

Thermally stimulated currents have been studied in solution grown pure and doped polyvinyl alcohol films polarised at different temperatures. The TSC spectra have been used to calculate relaxation time, activation energy, capture cross section, charge and the attempt-to-escape frequency in films doped with different impurities. The electrical conductivity, charge-retaining capability and other parameters are found to be dependent on the doping. The results are explained in terms of the energy levels created by the dopants and charge transfer through a tunnelling mechanism.     

聚乙烯醇/海藻酸钠/碳纳米管复合膜的制备及其吸附性能

通过溶液共混法制备了聚乙烯醇/海藻酸钠/多壁碳纳米管复合膜,对其进行了透光率、力学性能和DSC表征,并研究了对Cr2O27-的吸附性能。结果表明,PVA与SA等质量混合时相容性好;MWNTs的添加有助于提高复合膜力学性能、热性能;在pH值为2、温度为30℃、MWNTs为80mg时,吸附6h后,复合膜对Cr2O27-的去除率达到96.84%。     

Electrospun crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol membrane

The electrospinning of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was performed with maleic anhydride (MA) as a cross linker to fabricate slightly soluble nanofiber membrane. The solubility, morphology and thermal behavior of electrospun PVA and PVA/MA membranes were characterized by water durability test, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), respectively. Water durability test demonstrated that 8% PVA/MA (20/1, mole/mole) membrane had the least average mass loss and standard deviation. SEM images showed that fibers in PVA/MA membrane had a larger average diameter compared to those in PVA membrane. DSC investigated that crystal structure was formed in PVA/MA membrane. The results show that rapid evaporation of water and high electric field during electrospinning process may promote crosslinking of PVA and MA.     

载Ag改性桑枝韧皮纤维素/聚乙烯醇复合膜的制备及表征

采用流延法制备了载Ag改性桑枝韧皮纤维素/聚乙烯醇（Ag-T-CMC/PVA）复合膜,并利用XRD、SEM、DSC等分析测试方法研究了该复合膜的结构和性能。结果表明:随着Ag-T-CMC含量增加,Ag-T-CMC/PVA复合膜的力学性能、耐水性及抗菌性能均有提高。当Ag-T-CMC与PVA质量比为2%时,力学性能达到最佳,拉伸强度提高了3.4%。SEM分析表明:Ag-T-CMC均匀分散于Ag-T-CMC/PVA复合膜中,表现出良好的相容性;随着Ag-T-CMC含量的增加,断层逐渐变得光滑平面,在Ag-T-CMC与PVA质量比为2%时,断层最光滑。吸水性能测试表明:Ag-T-CMC能明显降低Ag-T-CMC/PVA复合膜的吸水性。抑菌性能测试表明:Ag-T-CMC/PVA复合膜对大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌有一定的抑菌效果,且随着Ag-T-CMC含量的增大,抑菌圈直径变大,抑菌效果增强。      

X-ray analysis of heat-treated titanium nitride films

Titanium nitride films deposited onto steel substrates maintained at 423 K were heat treated in the temperature interval 773–1173 K. Samples were studied by electron probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction. The high values of the microhardness observed for the as-deposited films decreased after annealing for 3 h at 973 K to nearly bulk values. This decrease is mainly due to the improvement in the microstructure of the films. It is accompanied by strong decreases in strain, stress and the lattice parameter of δ-TiN_x. Growth of the ε-Ti₂N phase at the expense of the δ-TiN_x phase was observed in a film with 34 at .% N when it was annealed for 3 h at 973 K. The lattice parameter and strain in the substrate increased after film deposition, most probably due to a dissolution of nitrogen or titanium atoms in the lattice of -Fe.     

Properties of polyvinyl alcohol cement pastes

Properties of cement pastes containing varying amounts of each of polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL), mixtures of polyvinyl alcohol and phenol formaldehyde (PF) and mixtures of poly vinyl alcohol and borax were studied in this paper. Though the strength parameters of the PVAL-cement pastes are comparable to virgin cement paste their resistance to acid is far superior. Soxhlet extraction with water, done to determine leachability of the polymer from the polymer cement paste, revealed that the percentage of polyvinyl alcohol leached out was less when borax or PF resin was added to the PVAL cement paste. The compressive strength of the poly vinyl alcohol–phenol formaldehyde cement paste was found to be inferior to the other two cases but the retention of compressive strength after immersing in each of acid, base and kerosene was much better. In general, polyvinyl alcohol when added to cement pastes improves the chemical resistance properties in terms of retention of compressive strength after exposure to chemicals.     

Photoelectrochemical performance of surfactant (polyvinyl alcohol) assisted PbS thin films grown by chemical route

Polyvinyl alcohol is used as a surfactant in the chemical bath deposition of PbS thin films, which causes compact, pinhole free and uniform PbS thin films. Influence of deposition time on the structural, optical, morphological, compositional, electro-chemical and photo-electrochemical (PEC) properties of the PbS thin films are studied. The charge transfer resistance is analysed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The best PEC device fabricated using optimized deposition time (3 h) showed short circuit current density (J_sc) of 1.68 mA. After annealing the optimised P₆₃ sample at 75?°C for 1.5 h the composition changed from Pb rich to near stoichiometric. For typical PA sample J_sc improves to 2.13 mA and photo conversion efficiency advances from 0.045 to 0.072%.     

Electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan composite nanofibers involving Au nanoparticles and their in vitro release properties

Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/chitosan (CS) composite nanofibers were successfully prepared by a simple and effective method called electrospinning. Au NPs were firstly synthesized under a mild condition with CS as the reducing agent and stabilizer, followed by being mixed with PVA solution and then the resulting fibers were fabricated. The research indicated that Au NPs were indeed doped into the as-prepared fibers and the composite fibers well preserved Au NPs' unique optical characteristics. Additionally, with the adjustment of the weight ratios between PVA and CS, the diameter distribution and the morphology of the nanofibers were largely changed. In vitro drug release experiments demonstrated that the drug release rate can be conveniently controlled by changing the crosslink time.