Gamma radiation-induced grafting of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate onto latex urinary catheters

The gamma radiation-induced functionalization of polymer matrices is a widely used technique for introducing functional groups into inert matrices, thereby enabling drug loading and release. This research focused on grafting 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) onto latex urinary catheters (NRL) using gamma-ray irradiation. Various factors influencing grafting were studied, including HEMA concentration, solvents, dose, and methodology. The conditions that resulted in the highest grafting percentage were the direct method with 40 kGy, 50% HEMA concentration, and isopropanol as the solvent. Finally, the modified catheters were characterized using contact angle measurements, FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, swelling, TGA, and DSC.