Sol–Gel Synthesis of Biomaterials With High Weight Percentages of PEG and Ferulic Acid

ABSTRACT In this work, an innovative synthesis of hybrid biomaterials using the sol–gel process was developed, characterized by high percentages of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and ferulic acid (FA). The goal was to obtain biocompatible materials with chemical and biological properties, useful in the biomedical field, particularly for applications in controlled drug release or tissue regeneration. The silica‐based inorganic network was obtained by hydrolysis and condensation of alkyl‐silane precursors in the presence of high concentrations of PEG (50 wt%) and FA (10 and 15 wt%), evaluating the influence of their amounts on the chemical stability and functional properties of the resulting material. FTIR analyses confirmed the effective integration of the organic components into the inorganic matrix, without compromising the structure of the sol–gel network. The results highlight that the use of high PEG and ferulic acid contents allows for the modulation of the controlled release of the herbal drug, opening up new perspectives for the engineering of multifunctional biomaterials.