In vitro mucoadhesive properties of hydrophilic polymers: Effects of contact time, disk shape, and molecular weight

This study aimed to investigate the effects of various factors, including contact time, disk shape, and polymer molecular weight, on the in vitro mucoadhesive properties of disks prepared using hydrophilic polymers. Mucoadhesive performance was evaluated by measuring the peak detachment force and work of adhesion values using tensile tests. The mucoadhesive force and work of adhesion values increased with increasing contact time between the polymeric disks and mucin gel layer until 60 s. Increased mucoadhesive performances were typically observed when the disks comprised high‐molecular‐weight polymers, which indicates the increase in the entanglement. Increasing the thicknesses of the disks allowed the disks to absorb more water and thereby have more flexible polymeric chains, enhancing the mucoadhesive capacity. The proportional increase in the mucoadhesive force and work values were observed with increasing the surface areas of the disks. In conclusion, this study comprehensively demonstrated the effects of various experimental factors on mucoadhesion. Here, we present the effects of various factors on mucoadhesive properties of hydrophilic polymers formulated as disks, including contact time, thickness, surface area, and molecular weight.