| 초록 |
Thermo-sensitive polymers have been attractive in many biomedical applications including drug delivery and tissue engineering, as their properties can be controlled by simply changing the temperature. In this study, alginate was modified with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), which is a widely being used thermo-responsive polymer. Alginate-g-PNIPAAm formed thermo-sensitive polymeric micelles in water at 37°C and a transition from micelle to fibrous structure was observed depending on the concentration of polymer as well as on the degree of substitution. Various characteristics of alginate-g-PNIPAAm were investigated using SEM, rheometer, and DLS. Alginate-based thermo-sensitive polymers may find useful applications in the areas of biomedical science and engineering. |
