A study on the thermal responsive behavior of hydrogel-based materials and their potential use in medical applications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present synthesis protocol of hydrogel composed of Chitosan (CS) and Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and establish an understanding of its thermal responsive behavior. It aims to prove the basic temperature sensing ability of a novel CS-PEG-based hydrogel and define its sensing span. Design/methodology/approach This study includes synthesis of CS and PEG-based hydrogel samples by first performing dissolution of both constituents, respectively, and then adding Glutaraldehyde as the cross-linking agent. It further includes proposed hydrogel’s swelling studies and dynamic behavior testing, followed by hydrogel characterization by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and SEM. The last section focuses on the use of proposed hydrogel as a temperature sensor. Findings Detailed experimental results show that a hydrogel comprising of CS and PEG presents a thermally responsive behavior. It offers potential to be used as a temperature responsive hydrogel-based sensor which could be used in medical applications. Originality/value This research study presents scope for future research in the field of thermally responsive bio-sensors. It provides basis for the fabrication of a thermal responsive sensor system based on hydrogels that can be used in specific medical applications.