The influence of the concentration of poloxamer 407, the pH and the temperature on the gelation of silk fibroin (SF) were studied. It was found that the gelation of SF occurred in the presence of poloxamer at pH value of 7.0 while gelation of SF itself did not occur. The gelation time of SF was shortened with increasing the poloxamer concentration and the temperature. The sol‐gel transition of SF became reversible with an addition of poloxamer. From infrared (IR) and circular‐dichroism (CD) spectroscopy measurements, it was found that a conformational change of the SF in the SF/poloxamer system from random coil to β‐structure was accelerated after forming a polymer complex with the poloxamer. The crystallinity of the poloxamer was reduced by SF from X‐ray diffraction measurements.

A novel mucoadhesive polymer was prepared by template polymerization of acrylic acid in the presence of sericin for a transmucosal drug-delivery (TMD) system. FTIR results indicated that a polymer complex was formed between poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and sericin through hydrogen bonding. The glass transition temperatures (T g 's) of sericin and PAA in the PAA/sericin polymer complex were inner-shifted compared with the T g 's of sericin and PAA themselves. This may be due to the increased miscibility of PAA with sericin through hydrogen bonding. The dissolution rate of the PAA/sericin interpolymer complex was dependent on the pH. The mucoadhesive force of the PAA/sericin polymer complex was similar to that of a commercial product, Carbopol 971P NF.

A novel mucoadhesive polymer was prepared by template polymerization of acrylic acid in the presence of sericin for a transmucosal drug‐delivery (TMD) system. FTIR results indicated that a polymer complex was formed between poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and sericin through hydrogen bonding. The glass transition temperatures (Tg's) of sericin and PAA in the PAA/sericin polymer complex were inner‐shifted compared with the Tg's of sericin and PAA themselves. This may be due to the increased miscibility of PAA with sericin through hydrogen bonding. The dissolution rate of the PAA/sericin interpolymer complex was dependent on the pH. The mucoadhesive force of the PAA/sericin polymer complex was similar to that of a commercial product, Carbopol 971P NF. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 274–280, 2001

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