Graphene Oxide and Iron Sulfide Nanoparticle–Enhanced Chitosan/PVA Hydrogel for pH‐Responsive Cefadroxil Monohydrate Delivery System

ABSTRACT In the drug delivery systems and biomedical fields, pH‐sensitive hydrogels have found potential applications. In this research study, a novel hydrogel of chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol), cross‐linked with tetraethoxyorthosilane, is synthesized for drug delivery by a solution casting method. Graphene oxide (GO) and iron sulfide (FeS 2 ) nanoparticles were incorporated into hydrogels to enhance their swelling properties in external media, which made them fascinating in drug delivery applications. FeS 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by the solid‐state method and characterized by x‐ray diffraction (XRD). The crystallinity of synthesized nanocomposite hydrogels and the dispersion of nanoparticles into the matrix of hydrogels were characterized by the XRD technique. In the nanocomposite hydrogel, the existence of integrated constituents and crosslinking was interpreted by FT‐IR. The surface morphology of hydrogels was exhibited by SEM. The swelling characteristics of hydrogel were examined by studying their behavior in distinct phases, such as aqueous, pH, and electrolyte solutions. The maximum swelling of 0.20 g/g, 0.19 g/g, and 0.07 g/g was observed in CS/PVA/GO + FeS 2 (TA‐3), CS/PVA/GO (TA‐1), and CS/PVA/FeS 2 (TA‐2) hydrogel, respectively. The most suitable hydrogel with high swelling performance was loaded with a model drug. Cefadroxil monohydrate (CMO), an antibacterial drug, was selected as a model drug for loading. In vitro drug release behavior was studied in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). The release profile of the cefadroxil monohydrate drug was investigated by using a UV spectrophotometer at 264 nm. The release profile exhibited 1.2% release in SGF (pH 1.2) and 92.15% controlled release in SIF (pH 6.8). These results indicate that the synthesized nanocomposite hydrogels hold the potential as promising antibacterial drug delivery systems.