Preparation and characterization of oxidized starch/CuO nanocomposite hydrogels applicable in a drug delivery system

To develop a new drug delivery approach, oxidized starch/CuO nanocomposite hydrogels were successfully prepared in-situ during the formation of CuO nanoparticles within swollen oxidized starch hydrogels. Analysis and characterization of the prepared hydrogels are carried out using different experimental techniques including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis confirmed the formation of CuO nanoparticles in the hydrogel matrix, while SEM micrographs shows that nanoparticles ranged from 39 to 50nm within the same matrix. The number of CuO nanoparticles increased with increasing Cu2+ concentration. The swelling behavior of the nanocomposite hydrogels is studied at pH 2.1 and 7.4, and exhibits a pH sensitive swelling ratio, compared to the neat oxidized starch hydrogel. In vitro drug release tests are carried out to assess the effectiveness of this novel type of nanocomposite as a controlled drug delivery system. Sustained and controlled drug release is observed for CuO nanoparticles containing oxidized starch, which increases with higher CuO nanoparticle content.