The graft copolymer with semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) from 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and natural rubber (NR) latex was prepared using cumene hydroperoxide and tetraethylene pentamine redox initiator system. The changes of grafting ratios and grafting efficiency with the reaction time and temperature, the concentration of crosslinking agent, initiator and monomer were investigated. The appropriate amounts of crosslinking agent (0.1phr), initiator (0.2phr) and monomer (20phr) and the optimum reaction conditions of 16ºC×8h were determined. The swelling temperature and times of monomers against NR latex particles were found to be significant for the grafting copolymerization and the appropriate swelling conditions were 16ºC×20h. The water contact angle measurement and platelet adhesion evaluation indicated that the hydrophilicity and blood compatibility of NR latex could be improved by grafting copolymerization with HEMA.

Tests of the strain sweep, frequency sweep and stress relaxation for raw natural rubber coagulated by microorganisms (NR-m) and raw natural rubber coagulated by acid (NR-a) were carried out with the use of a rubber process analyzer (RPA). The results showed that the storage torque, complex viscosity of NR-m were higher than those of NR-a while the loss factor was lower. The effect of temperature on viscosity of raw NR was studied following the Arrhenious-Frenkel-Eyring model. The viscous flow behavior of NR-m was poorer than those of NR-a. Furthermore, stress relaxation measurements of raw NR showed a longer period of relaxation for NR-m.

Berbamine loaded chitosan-agarose microspheres were prepared using a water-in-oil emulsion technique. Optimum preparing parameters were determined by orthogonal experiments as follows: ratio of berbamine to chitosan (w/w) is 1:10; percentage of emulsifier (span 80, v/v) is 6%; volume of glutaraldehyde is 2 mL; and reaction temperature is 70 ºC. Under these optimal conditions, the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of microspheres are 84.57% and 8.44%, respectively. The swelling tests showed that the microspheres possessed higher swelling ratio at pH 7.4 than at pH 1.2. FTIR indicated that berbamine had been successfully loaded in the chitosan-agarose microspheres by physical entrapment. In vitro release studies showed that berbamine was released from microspheres in a significantly sustained fashion.