Insights in the rheological properties of PLGA-PEG-PLGA aqueous dispersions: Structural properties and temperature-dependent behaviour
POLYMER(2021)
Abstract
PLGA-PEG-PLGA are copolymers, able to form temperature-dependent hydmgels or sol dispersions at selective conditions. A general overview about the rheological characterization of their aqueous dispersions, focusing how the structural characteristics (e.g. molecular weight, PEG/PLGA ratio) affect their temperature-dependent behaviour, is presented. Different PLGA-PEG-PLGA were synthesized by varying the amount of lactide and glycolide and the amount and molecular weight of PEG. All polymers were characterized by gel-permeation chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry. Then, polymeric dispersions in water (15%-25% w/w) were analysed by oscillatory rheological measurements. At solid state, all copolymers are amorphous and the calculated glass transition temperatures were dependent on PEG/PLGA ratio. As regard aqueous dispersions, the temperature-dependent rheological behaviour named "partially thermogelling" has been described, in addition to the commonly reported thermogelling one. In these samples, the consistency increases over temperature without forming a three-dimensional network as for real hydrogels. All rheological characteristics can be explained according to the proposed categorization (thermogel, partial thermogel and sol dispersion).
MoreTranslated text
Key words
Hydrogel,Rheology,Thermogelling
AI Read Science
Must-Reading Tree
Example
![](https://originalfileserver.aminer.cn/sys/aminer/pubs/mrt_preview.jpeg)
Generate MRT to find the research sequence of this paper
Chat Paper
Summary is being generated by the instructions you defined