Electro-responsive weight change and the application to controlled release of drug in polyelectrolyte gel entrapping natural polysaccharide

Abstract

Two natural polyelectrolytes, sodium alginate and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt, were gelated by entrapping method with vinyl monomer and crosslinker. Those gels repeated shrinkage and swelling under the on-off switching of electric field. The drug included in the gel was released with on-off switching of electric field. The electro-responsive weight change and drug release were affected by voltage of electric field.