The synthesis and study of telechelic polyelectrolytes for hydrogel formation

摘要

Polymeric hydrogels comprised of oppositely charged ABA triblock copolymer polyelectrolytes based upon poly(allyl glycidyl ether-b-ethylene glycol-ballyl glycidyl ether), P(AGE-b-EG-b-AGE), with functionalized ionic 'A'-endblocks and a neutral, hydrophilic 'B'-block were synthesized. Aqueous solutions of poly-cations and -anions were mixed at room temperature, producing hydrogels through co-assembly driven by electrostatic interactions between the endblocks. Due the ease and modular nature of the synthesis and hydrogel formation, polymeric libraries differing in relative block lengths and ionic functionalization were created and the affects of polymer composition on the hydrogel's mechanical and structural properties were examined.