In this study novel series of hydrogels, based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate
(HEMA), itaconic acid (IA) and poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylates
(PEGDMA) (of varying molecular weight and concentration) were prepared by
free radical crosslinking copolymerization. Preliminary hemocompatibility
characterization of hydrogels obtained by hemolytic activity assay indicated
good compatibility with blood. Preliminary biocompatibility characterization
of P(HEMA/IA/PEGDMA) hydrogels, done by the cytotoxicity assays using the
HeLa cell line revails that the cell viability of all samples was the range
of 97?100%, with no significant decrease in cell viability with the change
of PEGDMA molecular weight and concentration. Swelling studies were
conducted for all P(HEMA/IA/PEGDMA) samples in a physiological pH and
temperature range and network parameters were determined. Swelling studies
showed pH sensitive behaviour, typical for anionic hydrogels, and
temperature dependent swelling. The effects of concentration of PEGDMA
component on hydrogel swelling properties depend on the PEGDMA molecular
weight. The samples with 550PEGDMA show different swelling capacities when
550PEGDMA content is changed, whereas for P(HEMA/IA/875PEGDMA) samples there
was practically no difference in equilibrium degree of swelling, qe ,with
varying 875PEGDMA content, which trend is the same as in the case of qe
versus pH dependences. It was concluded that P(HEMA/IA/PEGDMA) hydrogels
show good potential to be used as biomedical materials.
Hemocompatibility and swelling studies of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-itaconic acid-co-poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate) hydrogels