Intelligent Hydrogels Via Gamma-Ray InducedPolymerization of Micellar Monomer Solutions andMicroemulsions

摘要

Intelligent hydrogels were prepared upon polymerization of micellaraqueous comonomer solutions and microemulsions containing the cationic surfac-tant monomer ti-acryloyloxyundecyltrimethylammonium bromide (AUTMAB) andN-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM). A chemically and physically cross-linked networkstructure is formed consisting of blocks of P-NIPAM and P-AUTMAB. The P-AUTMABblocks act as physical cross-linking units improving the mechanical stability of thegel. While pure P-NIPAM hydrogels are disrupted under low compression, gelspolymerized from micellar solution or microemulsion can be reversibly compressed.The presence of AUTMAB in the gel increases the swelling up to a factor of30 compared with the pure P-NIPAM gel. Rapid and reversible swelling is observedfor hydrogels with an AUTMAB content up to 2.5 wt.-%.