Modifiable chemically crosslinked poli(κ-carrageenan) particles

Micron size κ-carrageenan hydrogel particles, p(CRN) from linear κ-carrageenan, were prepared via microemulsion polymerization using divinyl sulfone (DVS) as chemical crosslinker in a sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse miceller system. Magnetic field responsive (m-p(CRN)) composite particles were also synthesized by encapsulating magnetic ferrite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles together with linear κ-carrageenan within the AOT reverse micelle before the crosslinking reaction. The synthesized bare p(CRN) particles were further modified to produce positive charges on the particles (q-p(CRN)) by a quaternization reaction with an 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride aqueous solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurements and FT-IR analysis confirmed that particle sizes and charges were altered by chemical modification. Furthermore, a model drug, phenylephrine HCl was used for in vitro drug delivery studies to compare the effectiveness of modification of p(CRN) microgels by comparing bare p(CRN), m-p(CRN) and q-p(CRN) particles drug release capabilities in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.4.