Engineering HEA–EA/PVA Graft Copolymer Films with Tunable Mechanical, Swelling, and Thermal Properties

In this work, copolymer – PVA-based polymer films were synthesized for the first time by radical polymerization through the addition of HEA (2-Hydroxyethyl acrylate ) and EA (ethyl acrylate) monomers into an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The solubility of the initial samples, as well as those obtained after thermal treatment and radiation crosslinking, was investigated in various solvents. The study revealed that the obtained samples exhibited swelling behavior in aqueous media, indicating their potential effectiveness as wound dressing materials for medical applications. The samples were prepared at a temperature of 90°C with thermal treatment durations ranging from 5 to 10 hours, and their swelling degree in different solvents was studied using the gravimetric method. The physicomechanical properties of the samples were also determined. The structure of the obtained samples was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, the absorption and release behavior of medicinal substances by the synthesized samples were investigated to evaluate their suitability as wound dressing materials. The kinetic studies demonstrated that samples containing a higher amount of ethyl acrylate exhibited enhanced drug sorption and desorption properties.