9706538 Peppas The goal of this research is the development of improved bioadhesiare and mucoadhesive polymers that can be used for wound healing or as carriers for drug targeting to specific sites of the body. The effect of crosslinking, polymer hydrophilicity, and interdiffusion on the adhesion and cohesion of hydrogels with adhesive functional groups in contact with mucin will be investigated. Hydrogels will be prepared by free radical polymerization of acrylic acid, 2- hydroxy ethyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. The surface chemistry of selected polymers will be modified by grafting poly (ethylene glycol) of varying molecular weights. The surface and bulk properties will be characterized by contact angle measurements, gas chromatography, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Near-field FTIR will be used to study the interdiffusion and adhesion process in contact with mucin and identify the molecular characteristics that will provide maximum mucoadhesion. ***
