Silicone elastomers: study of their mesh size by thermal analysis

Silicone elastomers are often used as a base for controlled-release systems material for drugs. The modulation of drug diffusion by varying the mesh size of a silicone elastomer network has already been studied. In this work we have investigated the influence of vulcanization conditions and chemical modifications on the network mesh size by thermal analysis and measurement of the swelling ratio. In parallel, the influence of these same parameters on the diffusion of model drugs has been studied.