Simple method to determine flow characteristics of injectable hydrogels

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 118; no. 1; pp. 574 - 579
• Main Authors: Nadarajan, Sundar Babu, Nguyen, An, Kolb, James Thomas, Stepanskiy, Leonard, Papazoglou, Elisabeth S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 05.10.2010; Wiley
• Subjects: Alginates; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium alginate; degree of polymerization; Density; drug delivery systems; Exact sciences and technology; Flow characteristics; General pharmacology; Hydrogels; Mathematical models; Medical sciences; Melt flow index; modulus; Organic polymers; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Physicochemistry of polymers; Properties and characterization; Solution and gel properties; Thermal and thermodynamic properties; viscoelastic properties; Viscosity; Viscoelasticity; drug delivery systems; Injectable form; Molecular structure; Crosslink density; Uronide polymer; Drug carrier; Melt index; Modeling; Colloidal gel; Shear viscosity; degree of polymerization; modulus; Control release polymer; hydrogels; Alginates; Experimental study; viscoelastic properties; Polyelectrolyte; Quality control; Oside polymer; Property structure relationship; Hydrogel; Apparent viscosity; Rheological properties
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.32402

This article presents a simple inexpensive method to measure flow and viscoelastic properties of calcium alginate hydrogels or gel solutions and is particularly suitable for quality control in small laboratory settings. This method can be considered an extension of the Melt Flow Index (MFI) method, which is routinely used in the polymer industry to indirectly determine the molecular weight of polymers. Results of alginate gels at various crosslinking densities obtained with this new test are compared to complex viscosity data obtained from a standard cone and plate rheometer, and demonstrate very good correlation. A mathematical model describing the apparent viscosity of the alginate gels in this test has also been developed.