Characterization of a Multi-responsive Magnetic Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Hydrogel and Its Application for DOX Delivery

Nanocomposite hydrogels are one of the most important types of biomaterials which can be used in many different applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering. Incorporation of nanoparticles within a hydrogel matrix can provide unique characteristics like remote stimulate and improved mechanical strength. In this study, the synthesis of graphene oxide and graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogel has been studied. Nanocomposite hydrogel was synthesized using carboxymethyl cellulose as a natural base, acrylic acid as a comonomer, graphene oxide as a filler, ammonium persulfate as an initiator, and iron nanoparticles as a crosslinking agent. The effect of reaction variables such as the iron nanoparticles, graphene oxide, ammonium persulfate, and acrylic acid were examined to achieve a hydrogel with maximum absorbency. Doxorubicin, an anti-cancer chemotherapy drug, was loaded into this hydrogel and its release behaviors were examined in the phosphate buffer solutions with different pH values. The structure of the graphene oxide and the optimized hydrogel were confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy.