Preparation of hydrogel from green polymer

A new method was used for the production of hydrogels from green polymer with a higher swelling ratio. These hydrogels were synthesized first by graft copolymerization between acrylamide (AM) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with alkaline or kraft lignin (AM‐PVA‐g‐lignin) and then by mixing with acrylamide monomer. The kraft and alkaline lignins were isolated from pulping liquor and characterized using UV and FT‐IR spectroscopy, and the formed hydrogels were characterized using FT‐IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Compared with kraft lignin hydrogel, the alkaline lignin hydrogel had very high swelling ratios and slower water uptake and deswelling rates attributed to its compatible network structure. The hydrogels formed were used also to study the influence of sodium chloride on the absorption capacity at room temperature and swelling ratios at different temperatures. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of the Functional Hydrogels: Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Threaded onto the PEG Backbones Via RAFT

Functional poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogels were prepared by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of NIPAM in the presence of four-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (4A-PEG) as backbone and 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate functional α -cyclodextrin threaded onto the PEG as chain transfer reagent (CTA).The structure of the hydrogels was characterized in detail with FTIR techniques. The analytical results demonstrated that α -cyclodextrin remains in as-obtained hydrogels. The swelling behavior was investigated and the functional hydrogels (functional gels) showed accelerated shrinking kinetics and higher swelling ratio comparing with conventional hydrogel (CG). It could be attributed to the presence of dangling chains. The hydrogel exhibited rapid swelling and deswelling kinetics. In principle, the hydrogel might find a number of applications including an on-off system and drug delivery systems.     

丝素蛋白-聚氨酯复合水凝胶的制备及性能研究

以聚乙二醇(PEG)、聚氧化丙烯二醇(PPG)、异弗尔酮二异氰酸酯(IPDI)为主要原料制备聚氨酯预聚体(PU),与丝素蛋白水溶液(SF)交联制得丝素蛋白-聚氨酯(SF-PU)复合水凝胶.分别利用ATR、SEM对水凝胶组成、结构及微观形貌进行表征;DSC、吸水溶胀测试探讨了丝素蛋白与聚氨酯的质量比(SF/PU)以及聚氨酯中不同软段质量比(PEG/PPG)对SF-PU水凝胶热性能、溶胀性能的影响.结果表明,SF-PU水凝胶具有多孔结构;样品中不同的SF/PU、PEG/PPG均对材料的玻璃化转变温度、结晶度及溶胀性能产生影响,且当水凝胶组分为SF/PU=1/25、PEG/PPG=2/1时,平衡溶胀比(ESR)可达到440%;水凝胶在溶胀初始阶段符合菲克扩散模型,整个溶胀过程遵循溶胀动力学2级方程.     

Thermoresponsive properties of porous poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels prepared in the presence of nanosized silica particles and subsequent acid treatment

Porous poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels were prepared by the free‐radical polymerization of its monomer and a suitable crosslinker in the presence of spherical silica particles of different sizes (74 and 1600 nm) and by the subsequent acid extraction of silica. The yields were 81–83%, and the yields were not affected by the silica content. Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed the porous structure of the hydrogels. Porous and nonporous hydrogels showed volume phase transitions from swelling states to deswelling states at approximately 30 °C, as analyzed by the ratio of the diameter of cylinder‐shaped hydrogels to that of the glass tube used for the hydrogel preparation at the corresponding temperature. Deswelling, which was analyzed by rapid changes in the temperature of the aqueous media from 20 to 40 °C, was facilitated by decreased silica particle size and increased silica content. The deswelling rate constant of the hydrogel prepared with 74‐nm silica at 10 v/v % (silica/solvent) was more than 1500 times greater than that of conventional hydrogels. Swelling was similarly analyzed through changes in the temperature from 40 to 20 °C and was independent of the pore structure. The deswelling–swelling cycle was repeatable with reasonable reproducibility. Moreover, the mechanical strength of the porous hydrogels was significantly maintained compared with that of conventional nonporous hydrogels. This method produced thermoresponsive hydrogels of suitable mechanical strength and remarkable deswelling properties. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4228–4235, 2002     

Characterization of well‐defined poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels prepared by thiol‐ene chemistry

Considering the large number of applications for hydrogels, a better understanding of the relation between molecular structure and mechanical properties for well‐defined hydrogel is essential. A new library has been compiled of poly(ethylene glycol) polymers (PEG) of different length end functionalized with diallyl, dithiol, and dimethacrylate, and crosslinked with complementary trifunctional crosslinkers. In this study, the hydrogels were initially analyzed by FT‐Raman and NMR to study the conversion ratio of the functional groups. The effects of solvent type, solid content concentration, curing time and length of the PEG chains on the final leaching, swelling and tensile properties of the hydrogels were studied. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

快速响应的温敏性聚(N-异丙基丙烯酰胺)水凝胶的合成及表征

快速响应的温敏性聚(N-异丙基丙烯酰胺)水凝胶的合成及表征;N-异丙基丙烯酰胺;水凝胶;温敏性;快速响应     

大孔PAMPS/PVA半互穿网络型水凝胶的制备及其性能研究

以PEG6000为成孔剂, 合成了大孔聚(2-丙烯酰胺-2-甲基丙磺酸)/聚乙烯醇半互穿网络型(s-IPN)水凝胶. 红外分析表明, PVA与PAMPS之间形成了较强的氢键, 使得PVA分子上的C—O伸缩振动吸收峰移向了低波数处. X射线衍射分析发现, 当PVA用量较高时, 由于部分的PVA结晶, 使得凝胶的半互穿网络结构不均匀. 电镜分析结果表明, 没有使用成孔剂的凝胶表面成褶皱形, 不存在任何孔洞结构; 而以PEG6000为成孔剂的凝胶表面存在相互贯穿的大孔结构. 研究了该水凝胶的溶胀性能, 结果表明, 该水凝胶的平衡溶胀度在116至320之间; 而成孔剂PEG6000的加入能较大幅度提高凝胶的溶胀速率, 凝胶在240 min之内就能达到溶胀平衡. 对凝胶抗压缩性能的研究表明, 当PVA用量为9.1% (w)时, 凝胶的抗压缩强度最大, 可达12.0 MPa; 而成孔剂的加入会在一定程度削弱凝胶的抗压缩强度. 该凝胶具有较好的电场敏感性, 研究发现, 将吸去离子水达到溶胀平衡的凝胶放入施加有电场的0.2 mol•L－1 NaCl溶液中时, 凝胶迅速偏向阳极. 而PVA和成孔剂PGE6000的用量均对凝胶的偏转速度以及最大偏转角存在较大的影响.     

Preparation and characterization of macroporous poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels for the controlled release of proteins

Macroporous, temperature‐sensitive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogels were synthesized with poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs; molecular weight = 2000–6000) as the pore‐forming agents. The influence of the molecular weight and PEG content on the responsive kinetics of these macroporous hydrogels was investigated. The PEG‐modified PNIPAAm hydrogels were characterized by the swelling ratio, deswelling–reswelling kinetics, Fourier transform infrared, and differential scanning calorimetry. The morphology of these hydrogels was analyzed with scanning electron microscopy. The prepared macroporous hydrogels exhibited some unique properties in comparison with the gels with low molecular weight PEGs (molecular weight < 2000) as the pore‐forming agents. In addition, a preliminary study on the controlled release of bovine serum albumin from these macroporous hydrogels was carried out. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 152–159, 2003     

Photopolymerization of alicyclic methacrylate hydrogels for controlled release

Alicyclic hydroxy methacrylate monomer, o‐hydroxycyclohexyl methacrylate (HCMA), was synthesized and characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H‐NMR). Photopolymerization kinetics of HCMA was investigated via real‐time infrared spectroscopy (RT‐IR). Polymeric network hydrogels based on hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and HCMA were prepared by using the photopolymerization technique. Mechanical strength, swelling characteristic, and controlled release behavior of hydrogels with various feed compositions were studied. Poly(HEMA‐co‐HCMA) hydrogel had higher storage modulus than that of poly(HEMA) hydrogel as investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Acid orange 8 was used as a model drug for the investigation of drug release behavior of copolymeric hydrogels. Results indicated that increase in HCMA ratio in hydrogel composition could reduce the swelling rate and prolong the release time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also utilized to study the surface morphology of hydrogels, and the results indicated that HCMA content influenced pore diameter on the hydrogel surface. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid swelling and deswelling in cryogels of crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid)

Thermally sensitive hydrogels of poly[N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA)-co-acrylic acid (AA)] hydrogels with N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (BIS) as crosslinker have been synthesized via a two-step procedure in which, the initial polymerisation is conducted for various times at 18 °C, this step being followed by polymerisation for one fixed time at −22 °C. The gravimetrically determined rates of swelling/deswelling for these materials termed “cryogels” prepared by this two-step polymerisation are much higher than those for the same type of hydrogel prepared via conventional methods (30 °C for 24 h). For example the time for the former xerogel to take up 70% of its final water content at 25 °C is just 18 min, compared with a time 300 min for the latter to attain the same uptake of water. During deswelling (shrinking) at 50 °C, which is above the lower critical temperature, the hydrogel loses 60 and 90 wt% water in 1 and 10 min respectively, compared to a timescale for the corresponding crosslinked copolymers prepared by conventional methods of about 100 min for 50 wt% water loss. A third type of hydrogel was made by a cold treatment (CT), for which the hydrogel prepared by conventional polymerization was stored in the frozen state. The swelling rate of these CT xerogels was the same as that for xerogels prepared by conventional polymerization, but the deswelling rate of the former was higher than that of the latter; for example, during deswelling, a loss of 90% water is attained within a few minutes.Scanning electron microscopy, digital photographs and flotation experiments together with swelling ratio studies reveal that the polymeric network of cryogel produced by the two-step polymerization method is characterized by an open structure with more pores and higher swelling ratio but lower mechanical strength compared to the conventional hydrogels. Such rapid response hydrogels have potential applications in separation and drug release technologies for example.     

Rapid swelling and deswelling in cryogels of crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic)

Thermally sensitive hydrogels of poly[N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA)-co-acrylic(AA)] hydrogels with N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (BIS) as crosslinker have been synthesised via a two-step procedure in which, the initial polymerisation is conducted for various times at 18 °C, this step being followed by polymerisation for one fixed time at −22 °C. The gravimetrically determined rates of swelling/deswelling for these materials termed “cryogels” prepared by this two-step polymerisation are much higher than those for the same type of hydrogel prepared via conventional methods (30 °C for 24 h). For example the time for the former xerogel to take up 70% of its final water content at 25 °C is just 18 min, compared with a time 300 min for the latter to attain the same uptake of water. During deswelling (shrinking) at 50 °C, which is above the lower critical temperature, the hydrogel loses 60 and 90 wt.% water in 1 and 10 min respectively, compared to a timescale for the corresponding crosslinked copolymers prepared by conventional methods of about 100 min for 50 wt.% water loss. A third type of hydrogel was made by a cold treatment (CT), for which the hydrogel prepared by conventional polymerisation was stored in the frozen state. The swelling rate of these CT xerogels was the same as that for xerogels prepared by conventional polymerisation, but the deswelling rate of the former was higher than that of the latter; for example, during deswelling, a loss of 90% water is attained within a few minutes.Scanning electron microscopy, digital photographs and flotation experiments together with swelling ratio studies reveal that the polymeric network of cryogel produced by the two-step polymerisation method is characterised by an open structure with more pores and higher swelling ratio but lower mechanical strength compared to the conventional hydrogels. The polymerisation was taking place on moderate freezing condition and the hydrogel was stored in a frozen state and subsequent thawing of polymer to be very useful the acceleration the response rate of this kind hydrogels. Such rapid response hydrogels have potential applications in separation and drug release technologies for example.     

Fabrication of poly(ethylene glycol)‐based hydrogels entrapping enzyme‐immobilized silica nanoparticles

In this study, we immobilized enzymes by combining covalent surface immobilization and hydrogel entrapment. A model enzyme, glucose oxidase (GOX), was first covalently immobilized on the surface of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) via 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and the resultant SNP‐immobilized enzyme was physically entrapped within photopolymerized hydrogels prepared from two different molecular weights (MWs) (575 and 8000 Da) of poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG). The hydrogel entrapment resulted in a decrease in reaction rate and an increase in apparent K_m of SNP‐immobilized GOX, but these negative effects could be minimized by using hydrogel with a higher MW PEG, which provides higher water content and larger mesh size. The catalytic rate of the PEG 8000 hydrogel was about ten times faster than that of the PEG 575 hydrogel because of enhanced mass transfer. Long‐term stability test demonstrated that SNP‐immobilized GOX entrapped within hydrogel maintained more than 60% of its initial activity after a week, whereas non‐entrapped SNP‐immobilized GOX and entrapped GOX without SNP immobilization maintained less than 20% of their initial activity. Incorporation of SNPs into hydrogel enhanced the mechanical strength of the hydrogel six‐fold relative to bare hydrogels. Finally, a hydrogel microarray entrapping SNP‐immobilized GOX was fabricated using photolithography and successfully used for quantitative glucose detection. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and characterization of thermo-sensitive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel with fast response rate

Thermo-sensitive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) hydrogel with fast response rate was prepared by polymerizing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) in an aqueous hydroxyl-propyl-methyl cellulose solution. The volume phase transition temperature of PNIPA hydrogels was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the surface morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The swelling ratios of the hydrogels at different temperatures were measured. Furthermore, the deswelling kinetics of the hydrogels was also studied by measuring their water retention capacity. In comparison with a conventional PNIPA hydrogel prepared in water, the hydrogel synthesized in aqueous hydroxyl-propyl-methyl cellulose solution has higher swelling ratios at temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature and exhibits a much faster response rate to temperature changes. For example, the hydrogel made in aqueous hydroxyl-propyl-methyl cellulose solution lost 89% water within 1 min and about 93% water in 4 min, whereas the conventional hydrogel lost only about 66% water in 15 min from the deswelling measurement in similar conditions. Translated from Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2006, 23(6): 581–585 (in Chinese)     

聚乙二醇对PAMPS/PAM双网络水凝胶性能的影响

采用紫外光引发聚合制备了聚乙二醇(PEG)改性的聚(2-丙烯酰胺-2-甲基丙磺酸)/聚丙烯酰胺(PAMPS/PAM)双网络水凝胶.测定并比较了PEG改性前后双网络水凝胶的溶胀动力学以及单网络水凝胶中丙烯酰胺(AM)的吸收量;用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察了单网络水凝胶的结构;测定PEG改性前后双网络水凝胶的压缩及拉伸性能.结果表明,经PEG改性后的双网络水凝胶有较高的溶胀比;改性后单网络水凝胶更易吸收AM;改性后双网络水凝胶压缩形变率达到90%以上、拉伸形变率是未改性双网络水凝胶的2倍.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable unsaturated poly(ester amide)/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogels

A series of novel biodegradable hydrogels were designed and synthesized from four types of unsaturated poly(ester amide) (UPEA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG‐DA) precursors by UV photocrosslinking. These newly synthesized biodegradable UPEA/PEG‐DA hydrogels were characterized by their gel fraction (G_f), equilibrium swelling ratio (Q_eq), compressive modulus, and interior morphology. The effect of the precursor feed ratio (UPEAs to PEG‐DA) on the properties of the hydrogels was also studied. The incorporation of UPEA polymers into the PEG‐DA hydrogels increased their hydrophobicity, crosslinking density (denser network), and mechanical strength (higher compressive modulus) but reduced Q_eq. When different types of UPEA precursors were coupled with PEG‐DA at the same feed ratio (20 wt %), the resulting hydrogels had similar Q_eq values and porous three‐dimensional interior morphologies but different G_f and compressive modulus values. These differences in the hydrogel properties were correlated to the chemical structures of the UPEA precursors; that is, the different locations of the >C?C< double bonds in individual UPEA segments resulted in their different reactivities toward PEG‐DA to form hydrogels. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3932–3944, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of κ‐carrageenan/poly(N,N‐diethylacrylamide) semi‐interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels with rapid response to temperature

In this study, a novel classical thermo‐ and salt‐sensitive semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) hydrogel composed of poly(N,N‐diethylacrylamide) (PDEAm) and κ‐carrageenan (KC) was synthesized by free radical polymerization. The structure of the hydrogels was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR and SEM revealed that the semi‐IPN hydrogels possessed the structure of H‐bonds and larger number of pores in the network. Compared to the PDEAm hydrogel, the prepared semi‐IPN hydrogels exhibited a much faster response rate to temperature changes and had larger equilibrium swelling ratios at temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). The salt‐sensitive behavior of the semi‐IPN hydrogels was dependent on the content of KC. In addition, during the reswelling process, semi‐IPN hydrogels showed a non‐sigmoidal swelling pattern. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

PEG作为成孔剂对聚(N-异丙基丙烯酰胺-co-丙烯酸)水凝胶性能的影响

以PEG400,1000,6000为成孔剂,合成了一系列聚(N-异丙基丙烯酰胺co丙烯酸)水凝胶,研究了成孔剂分子量和数量对凝胶性能的影响.结果表明,聚乙二醇(PEG)分子充当成孔剂,不参与反应.PEG分子量越大,投料越多,所得凝胶孔的孔径越大,孔数目越多,在室温时可以容纳更多的水分子,因而溶胀率也越大.凝胶的大孔结构有利于水分子的进出,所以响应速率比普通共聚凝胶快.随着PEG分子量增大,孔数目增多,响应速率相应变快.     

Novel hydrogels from diepoxy‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol)s and aliphatic primary diamines: synthesis and equilibrium swelling studies

New hydrogels were prepared from diepoxy‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol)s of approximate molecular weights 600, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Da and aliphatic primary diamines with different numbers of carbon atoms (ethylenediamine, 1,4‐diaminobutane, hexamethylenediamine, 1,8‐octanediamine, 1,10‐decanediamine, 1,12‐dodecanediamine), in water or ethanol–water mixture, depending on the amine solubility. The swelling behavior of these gels was tested in distilled water/aqueous solution at constant temperature and the equilibrium swelling degree (ESD) was determined for structurally different hydrogels and under various environmental conditions. It was shown that ESD was influenced by the molecular weight of PEG oligomers, amine/epoxy groups mole ratio, amine chain length, temperature, pH, and concentration of salts present in the swelling medium. Higher ESDs were obtained for either longer‐chain PEGs, non‐stoichiometric amine/epoxy groups ratio, shorter amines, acidic pH, lower temperatures, or in the absence of salts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Drug Release Properties of Thermosensitive Poly(N-vinylacetamide-co-vinylacetate) Hydrogels

Thermosensitive poly[N-vinylacetamide-co-vinylacetate][P(NVA-co-VAc)] hydrogels were prepared via free radical copolymerization from hydrophilic NVA and hydrophobic VAc in the presence of butylenes-bis (N-vinylacetamide)(Bis-NVA) as crosslinker. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) images reveal that the as-prepared hydrogels were of three-dimensional network with irregular cave structure. The prepared hydrogels with more NVA in the feed swelled faster and the swelling ratio of the hydrogels gradually decrease...     

Effect of Pore-Forming Agent Type on Swelling Properties of Macroporous Poly(N-[3-(dimethylaminopropyl)]-methacrylamide-co-acrylamide) Hydrogels

Macroporous poly(N-[3-(dimethylaminopropyl)]methacrylamide-co-acrylamide) [P(DMAPMA-co-AAm)] hydrogels were prepared by free-radical crosslinking copolymerization of corresponding monomers in water using two different pore-forming agents such as hydroxypropyl celluose (HPC) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The effect of these pore-forming agents on the volume phase transition temperature (VPT-T), interior morphology and swelling/deswelling kinetics of the P(DMAPMA-co-AAm) hydrogels was investigated. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the interior network structure of the hydrogel matrix became more porous due to the presence of HPC or PEG pore-forming agents. The more porous matrix provided numerous water channels for water diffusion in or out of the matrix and, therefore, an improved response rate to the external stimuli. Particularly, due to its unique macroporous structure, the PEG-modified hydrogel showed a tremendously faster response to the external temperature changes during deswelling process and the swelling process at 22°C.