Effect of PLGA block molecular weight on gelling temperature of PLGA‐PEG‐PLGA thermoresponsive copolymers

ABSTRACT Thermoresponsive, biodegradable polymeric hydrogel networks are used widely in medicinal applications. Poly( d , l ‐lactic acid‐ co ‐glycolic acid)‐ b ‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐ b ‐poly( d , l ‐lactic acid‐ co ‐glycolic acid) (PLGA‐PEG‐PLGA) triblock copolymers exhibit a sol–gel transition upon heating. The effect of PLGA block and PEG chain molecular weights (MWs) on the gelling temperature of polymer aqueous solution (20% w/w) is described. All polymer solutions convert into a hard gel within 2 °C of the gelling temperature. The release properties of the gels were displayed using paracetamol as a representative drug. A linear relation is described between the gelling temperature and PLGA block MW. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 35–39