Effect of SDS on the gelation of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose hydrogels

Thermal behavior of aqueous hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC)/surfactant mixtures was studied in the dilute concentration regime using micro-differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The surfactant used was sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The heat capacity of HPMC gel with various concentrations of SDS was much higher than that of the pure HPMC gel. The addition of SDS at different concentrations showed dissimilar influences on the gelation of HPMC; SDS at lower concentrations (≤6 mM) did not affect gelation temperature significantly except for enhancing the heat capacity whilst SDS at higher concentrations (≥6 mM) not only resulted in the gelation of HPMC at higher temperatures but also changed the pattern of the gelation thermograph from a single mode to a bimodal. On the basis of the observed thermal behavior of HPMC/SDS systems, the mechanism behind the sol-gel transition was discussed in terms of the properties of the surfactant and their influences on the extent of polymer/surfactant binding and polymer/polymer hydrophobic association. Gelation kinetics was analysed using the results from the DSC measurements. The kinetic parameters were determined.