The target of this study was the elaboration of a procedure for diosgenin molecularly imprinted polymers obtaining. The phase inversion method was used and it was aimed to prepare polymer pearls. In order to achieve the molecularly imprinted structures, copolymers of acrylonitrile with acrylic acid were synthesized by radical copolymerization in emulsion without emulsifier. The reaction was initiated by the redox system potassium persulfate – sodium metabisulfite.
The research studies allowed the assigning of the best parameters of the casting solution preparation, for the phase inversion and for the extraction. The rheological studies performed in dimethylformamide consolidated the choice upon the conditions for polymers solutions obtaining.
The rheological studies revealed changes of the polymer-polymer and polymer-solvent interactions and this could favor the molecular imprinting. These interactions depend on composition and concentration of the copolymer in solution, on concentration of diosgenine and on temperature. By the variation of the phase inversion and extraction conditions it was possible to obtain pearls molecularly imprinted with diosgenin.
