The manifold varieties of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels-IPNs

0474506 - ÚMCH 2018 RIV DE eng C - Conference Paper (international conference)
Dušková-Smrčková, Miroslava - Sadakbayeva, Zhansaya - Steinhart, Miloš - Dušek, Karel
The manifold varieties of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels-IPNs.
Macromolecular Symposia. Volume 372, Issue 1. Weinheim: WILEY-VCH Verlag, 2017 - (Horkay, F.; Malmström Jonsson, E.), s. 28-42. ISSN 1022-1360. E-ISSN 1521-3900.
[Polymer Networks Group Conference /23./ - PNG2016. Stockholm (SE), 19.06.2016-23.06.2016]
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-00939S
Institutional support: RVO:61389013
Keywords : interpenetrating networks * double networks * hydrogel
OECD category: Polymer science

The interpenetrating network structure was used to control mechanical properties of hydrogels based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) (first network (A) or second network (B)) and poly(glycerol methacrylate) (PGMA) (network B). In order to understand the structure, mechanical and swelling properties of sequentially made IPN hydrogels, the swollen PHEMA network microstructure and its formation was investigated by means of swelling and SWAXS experiments. Visually clear and microscopically homogenous hydrogel networks based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) revealed presence of domains of size 1–10 nm formed during polymerization in the presence of water. The study was carried out to understand conditions under which the hydrophobic interactions are operative and their effect on the microstructure as well as how they change when the double network structure is introduced. The morphologies of network A ranged from homogenous, non-porous, and optically clear gels, to macroporous gels resulting from phase separation and offering fused-sphere morphology. A cryogel characterized by large elongated and partially interconnected pores of tens to hundreds micrometers were another object for comparison. In most cases, an increase of tensile moduli and improvement of ultimate tensile properties was achieved. A surprisingly high increase in true strength (by a factor of 10 – 30) was achieved when the macroporous PHEMA network A was reinforced by weak PHEMA or PGMA networks B. All these weakly crosslinked IPN gels were optically clear.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0271553