Synthesis and physicochemical characterization of derivatized xylan-based pH-sensitive green adsorbent hydrogels for potential sustainable and targeted delivery of drugs

Derivatives of xylans, namely carboxymethyl xylans (CMX), have garnered scientific interest for their potential application as raw materials in the synthesis of biodegradable pH-sensitive green adsorbent hydrogels. The hydrogels were successfully synthesized, as verified by FTIR spectroscopy. The hydrogel with CMX to AA and a weight-by-weight ratio of 1:5 exhibited a maximum swelling percentage of 1534 ± 15.5% in distilled water, maximum porosity (94.26 ± 4.32%), exceptional mechanical strength, and favorable in vitro degradation patterns (12.39 ± 2.46%), which are useful in identifying optimal hydrogels for sustained and targeted drug delivery. The gel-mass fractions were measured to ascertain the physical properties of the gel. Pore diameters were morphologically examined using a scanning electron microscope. This synthesized hydrogel is expected to serve as a powerful substrate for drug delivery and may possess considerable potential in materials science and therapeutic applications.   KEYWORDS: Xyaln; Carboxymethyl xyaln (CMX); FTIR Spectroscopy; Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM); Mechanical Strength; Porosity