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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 May 13.
Published in final edited form as: Biomacromolecules. 2013 Apr 1;14(5):1299–1310. doi: 10.1021/bm301825q

Figure 5. Stability of HPE hydrogels in physiological conditions.

Figure 5

(a) Stability of HPE hydrogels was investigated by evaluating swelling behavior and in vitro degradation of 40%, 50% and 60% HPE hydrogels in physiological environment. All the hydrogels reached equilibrium hydration degree within 24 hours. A significant decrease in the swelling ratio of HPE hydrogels due to increase in HPE concentration was observed. (b) In degradation study, an initial mass loss (Phase I) observed was due to leaching out of sol content. A slow and linear degradation after initial mass loss was observed (Phase II). The bars represent mean ± standard deviation (n=3), (*p < 0.05).