Modification of polyethylene oxide-polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate hydrogel film by the addition of Jatropha multifida sap for wound dressing application

Hydrogels have been developed for several decades for various medical applications including wound dressing application. To accelerate wound healing process, Jatropha multifida sap was added to the hydrogel before crosslinking using electron beam. The method for the production of modified polyethylene oxide-polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEO-PEGDMA) hydrogel was developed by dissolving Jatropha multifida sap into PEO-PEGDMA solution prior to crosslinking via electron beam. Various concentration of Jatropha multifida sap (0% to 15%) was irradiated with electron beam to prepare the hydrogel film. Gel fraction, swelling ratio, water vapour transmission rate and tensile strength were measured. Chemical structure was analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the value of gel fraction and swelling ratio of hydrogel decreases linearly with increasing concentration of jatropha mulitifida. In contrary, water vapour transmission rate increase steadily. Tensile strength and elongation of hydrogel also increases with the increasing of Jatropha multifida content and reach the optimum value (6.20 N/mm2 and 6.09%) at concentrations of 15%. These results show that the PEO-PEGDMA crosslinked hydrogel film can be developed by adding Jatropha multifida sap with higher tensile strength using electron beam irradiation.