Creating micro-structured hydrogel-forming polymer films by photopolymerization in an evaporating solvent: Compositional and morphological evolutions

摘要

A new method of photopolymerization/photocrosslinking in an evaporating precursor solution was exploited to synthesize films with hierarchical microstructures for a common hydrogel-forming system. The hierarchical microstructure featured a dense skin layer atop of a particulate layer, uniquely determined by the interplay between fast solvent evaporation and reaction induced phase separation between the reactive monomers and the remaining solvent. Using N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm)/carbon disulfide (CS2) as a model system, the evolution of the composition and morphology within the solution drop was determined. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.