SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HYDROXY PROPYL METHYL CELLULOSE-BASED CITRIC ACID CROSSLINKED NANOGELS OBTAINED VIA GREEN PROTOCOL

Nanogels are versatile tools in the hands of a biochemist, increasingly being used for medicinal applications and as bio-sensing tools. The utilization of biopolymer-based nano gels is a field that still has much exploration to be done. In this article, we will study the Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC)-based Citric Acid (CA) cross-linked nanogels synthesized via a green protocol. The nanogels were synthesized following a novel technique without using a surfactant at 55°C by employing citric acid as a crosslinker and Acryl Amide (AAm) as a co-polymer. The nanogels synthesized were categorized with swelling studies, FTIR, Particle size Analyzers and FESEM that provided proof for co-polymer synthesis and nanogel formation. The particle size analysis of HPMC-copoly(AAm)-cl-CA nanogels indicated a particle size below 10nm with spherical nature that was supported by FESEM data that presented spherical particles with a size below 50nm. The swelling studies carried out at acidic (4.0) and basic pH (7.0) exhibited their pH sensitivity as the nanogels showed 40% higher swelling at 7.0 pH than 4.0 indicating these could be utilized for site-specific drug delivery.