Effect of Curing Agent on Sodium Alginate Blends Using Barium Chloride as Crosslinking Agent and Study of Swelling, Thermal, and Morphological Properties

Abstract

Sodium alginate and lignosulfonic acid blends were prepared in various ratios (100/0, 80/20, and 60/40), in order to test the suitability of these blends for controlled drug delivery in variable pH medium using barium chloride as crosslinking agent. The blends were characterized by TGA and DSC, in order to study thermal degradation properties and glass transition temperature. Thermal analyses of blends were found to be degrading in multiple steps compared to their pure polymers. Crystallization characteristics are investigated using the DSC curves. Further, miscibility of blends was investigated for morphological studies by SEM.