Degradation of Alginate and Polymerization of Styrene Initiated by Alginate Macroradicals under Ultrasonic Irradiation

Abstract

Ultrasonic irradiation is a promising method used for polymer degradation and polymerization. In this study, the degradation of alginate under ultrasonic irradiation was investigated. The macroradicals produced in the degradation process were used to initiate polymerization of styrene without adding any initiators and surfactants, and copolymers of styrene and alginate were obtained. The amphiphilic copolymers could form nano particles in aqueous solutions. A hydrophobic drug, ibuprofen, was loaded onto the copolymer gels for controlled release. The results showed that the hydrophobically modified alginate had higher drug loading and prolonged release time compared to those of the neat alginate.

Keywords:

• Alginate
• degradation
• macroradicals
• ultrasonic irradiation

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 10974044) and State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University (No: 2010490911).

Notes

^a In water, 40 ml.