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.     

PVA改性PAMPS-PAM超高力学性能双网络水凝胶的制备

采用紫外光引发聚合制备了聚乙烯醇(PVA)改性的聚(2-丙烯酰胺基-2-甲基丙磺酸)-聚丙烯酰胺(PAMPS-PAM)双网络(DN)水凝胶.测定并比较了PVA改性前后PAMPS-PAM双网络水凝胶的溶胀动力学;通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察了单网络水凝胶的结构;测定PVA改性前后PAMPS-PAM双网络水凝胶的压缩及拉伸性能.结果表明,经PVA改性后的PAMPS-PAM双网络水凝胶有较高的溶胀比;0.82%PVA用量的PAMPS-PAM双网络水凝胶在90%压缩形变率下仍保持完整、最大拉伸应力达到0.5 MPa,大幅提高PAMPS-PAM双网络水凝胶的力学性能.     

Double network hydrogels with controlled shape deformation: A mini review

Double network hydrogels (DN gels), consisting of two networks with strongly asymmetric network structures and properties, are one of most investigated high strength hydrogels. In most cases, the first network of DN gels is rigid, brittle and tightly crosslinked, while the second network is soft, ductile and loosely crosslinked. Because of the tunable and diverse network structures, DN gels with controlled shape deformation have attracted great attention in recent years. The shape deformation of DN gels can be controlled by first network, second network, or both networks. In this mini review, the shape deformation of DN gels via different networks will be summarized, and the application and future perspectives also are discussed. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 1351–1362     

A pH‐sensitive,strong double‐network hydrogel: Poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylates–poly(acrylic acid)

We here describe new double network (DN) hydrogels with excellent mechanical strength and high sensitivity to pH changes. The first polymer network has a bottle brush structure and is formed from oligo‐monomers of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA). Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is used as the second network. This double network features strong intermolecular interactions between the neutral poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains of PPEGMA and the non‐ionized carboxylic acid groups of the PAA second network. When immersed in solutions with a pH below ～4 the DN hydrogels have a low swelling ratio and are opaque as a result of solvent‐polymer phase separation driven by the formation of dense hydrogen‐bonded clusters. The compression strength (～8 MPa) is at least 14 times higher than the analogous single networks. When immersed in solutions with a pH >4, the hydrogels are transparent and exhibit a high swelling ratio with a compression strength of ～1 MPa. The PEG side chain length can be readily controlled without greatly altering the overall DN topology by choosing PEGMA monomers having different PEG side chain lengths. Longer PEG side branches give higher compression and tensile strengths at pH <4 when hydrogen bonded clusters form. The robust nature of these DN gels over a wide pH range may be useful for applications such as artificial muscles and controlled release devices. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

A molecular thermodynamic model for the swelling of thermo-sensitive hydrogels

A new molecular thermodynamic model for describing the swelling behavior of thermo-sensitive hydrogels was developed. The model consists of two terms. One is the contribution of the mixing of hydrogel network and water, which is dependent on the local polymer concentration and the interaction between polymer segment and solvent. A closed packed lattice model for polymer solution developed by Yang et al. was adopted for this term. The other is the elastic contribution derived from the network elasticity, which is dependent on the cross-linking degree of gel network. The elastic Gibbs energy model based on the Gaussian chain model developed by Flory was adopted. The model equation has two parameters. One is an energy parameter ? reflecting the interaction between water and gel network, the other is a size parameter V^* that represents the cross-linking degree of the hydrogel. When the energy parameter ? is expressed as a quadratic of inverse temperature, this model can describe the swelling equilibrium behavior of neutral thermo-sensitive hydrogels quite well. The influences of model parameters were discussed in details. The experimental swelling curves of two kinds of polyacrylamide-based gels were correlated and good agreement was obtained.     

A Double Network Hydrogel with High Mechanical Strength and Shape Memory Properties

Double network (DN) hydrogels as one kind of tough gels have attracted extensive attention for their potential applications in biomedical and load-bearing fields. Herein, we import more functions like shape memory into the conventional tough DN hydrogel system. We synthesize the PEG-PDAC/P(AAm-co-AAc) DN hydrogels, of which the first network is a well-defined PEG (polyethylene glycol) network loaded with PDAC (poly(acryloyloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride)) strands, while the second network is formed by copolymerizing AAm (acrylamide) with AAc (acrylic acid) and cross-linker MBAA (N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide). The PEG-PDAC/P(AAm-co-AAc) DN gels exhibits high mechanical strength. The fracture stress and toughness of the DN gels reach up to 0.9 MPa and 3.8 MJ/m³, respectively. Compared with the conventional double network hydrogels with neutral polymers as the soft and ductile second network, the PEG-PDAC/P(AAm-coAAc) DN hydrogels use P(AAm-co-AAc), a weak polyelectrolyte, as the second network. The AAc units serve as the coordination points with Fe³⁺ ions and physically crosslink the second network, which realizes the shape memory property activated by the reducing ability of ascorbic acid. Our results indicate that the high mechanical strength and shape memory properties, probably the two most important characters related to the potential application of the hydrogels, can be introduced simultaneously into the DN hydrogels if the functional monomer has been integrated into the network of DN hydrogels smartly.     

SUPER TOUGH GELS WITH A DOUBLE NETWORK STRUCTURE

Living tissues work with fantastic functions in soft and wet gel-like state.Thus,hydrogels have attracted much attention as excellent soft and wet materials,suitable tot making artificial organs for medical treatments.However, conventional hydrogels are mechanically too weak for practical uses.We have created double network (DN) hydrogels with extremely high mechanical strength in order to overcome this problem.DN gels are interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogels consisting of rigid polyelectrolyte and s...     

SUPER TOUGH GELS WITH A DOUBLE NETWORK STRUCTURE

 Living tissues work with fantastic functions in soft and wet gel-like state. Thus, hydrogels have attracted much attention as excellent soft & wet materials, suitable for making artificial organs for medical treatments.However, conventional hydrogels are mechanically too weak for practical uses. We have created double network (DN) hydrogels with extremely high mechanical strength in order to overcome this problem. DN gels are interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogels consisting of rigid polyelectrolyte and soft neutral polymer. Their excellent mechanical properties cannot be explained by the standard fracture theories. In this paper, we discuss about the toughening mechanism of DN gels in accordance with their characteristic behavior, such as large hysteresis and necking phenomenon. We also describe the results on tissue engineering application of DN gels.     

Mechanical Properties of Bacterially Synthesized Nanocellulose Hydrogels

The mechanical characteristics of bacterially synthesized nano-cellulose (BNC) were studied with uniaxial compression and tensile tests. Compressive loads result in a release of water and the deformation of the water-saturated network corresponds approximately to the volume of released water. The BNC hydrogel exhibits a mainly viscous response under compression. The strain response under tensile loads has an elastic and a viscous component. This can be described with a Maxwell model, where the viscosity is strain rate-dependent. When the aqueous phase of the BNC hydrogel is stabilized with an additional alginate hydrogel matrix, the system exhibits an elastic response under compressive loads. The analysis of the ‘alginated’ BNC network with the Maxwell model shows that the alginate matrix increases the viscosity of the composite system. The results of the mechanical tests show that the water absorbed in the BNC hydrogel strongly influences its mechanical behavior.     

A non-Gaussian model for the chemo-mechanical coupling behavior of largely deformed hydrogels

A non-Gaussian model is developed to precisely describe the chemo-mechanical coupled large deformation of responsive hydrogels. In this model, the free-energy density is composed of two parts, including the elastic energy due to stretching of cross-linked polymer networks described by Gent hyperelastic model, and the mixture energy of polymer network and described by Flory–Huggins theory. The effects of junction functionality and chain entanglements are investigated by analyzing free swelling of a cubic hydrogel and constrained swelling of a blanket layer of the gel. The present model is found to exhibit obvious hardening characteristic during large deformation of the hydrogel, and the considerations of functionality of junctions and chain entanglements are essential in the coupled chemo-mechanical deformation analysis of hydrogels.     

苯乙烯基形状记忆聚合物热力学行为的有限元分析

对苯乙烯基形状记忆聚合物进行了拉伸实验研究,测定了该材料在25℃、30℃、40℃和50℃时的弹性模量和屈服极限.根据实验结果,建立了苯乙烯基形状记忆聚合物的材料参数方程,描述了苯乙烯基形状记忆聚合物在玻璃体转化过程中,材料参数和温度的关系.在假设形状记忆聚合物为各向同性材料的基础上,将Tobushi等建立的热力学本构方程从一维扩展到三维.基于有限元分析软件ABAQUS的二次开发功能,针对上述本构方程和材料参数方程,编写了可供ABAQUS调用的UMAT函数,并对苯乙烯基形状记忆聚合物实现形状记忆效应的高温变形、应力冻结和形状恢复等热力学过程,进行了有限元数值模拟分析.     

Mechanical Properties and Network Structure of Hydrophobic Association Hydrogels Prepared from Octylphenol Polyoxyethylene(7) Acrylate and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

Hydrophobic association hydrogels(HA-gels) with high mechanical strength were prepared by free radical micellar copolymerization in aqueous solutions of acrylamide(AM), anion surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) and a small amount of hydrophobic monomer octylphenol polyoxyethylene(7) acrylate(OP-7-AC). We found that the molar ratio of SDS to OP-7-AC has a great effect on the tensile strength and other mechanical property parameters. The best ratio point R' was determined. On the basis of Mooney theory and statistical theory, the critical tensile ratios and critical tensile strengths of the hydrogels were obtained, elastic parameters C₁ and C₂ were calculated via uniaxial tensile equation and structural parameters, such as the effective network chain density and the averaged molecular weight of the chain between cross-linking points of all the hydrogels were evaluated. The results indicate that the variation of mechanical property parameters depends on the number of effective cross-linking points and the match degree of long and short chains.     

Hydrogen bond-reinforced double-network hydrogels with ultrahigh elastic modulus and shape memory property

Development of tough hydrogels has greatly expanded their applications as load-bearing materials. However, the elastic modulus of tough hydrogels is usually lower than 1 MPa. It remains a challenge to design tough hydrogels with high modulus. We report here a series of tough double-network (DN) hydrogels with ultrahigh elastic modulus (up to 200 MPa) by forming robust hydrogen bonds between the first poly(acrylic acid) network and the second poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) network. The dense cooperative hydrogen bonds greatly reduce the segmental mobility and thus improve the rigidity of gel matrix. Owing to the dynamic nature of hydrogen bonds, the modulus of hydrogels is strongly influenced by temperature and pH, affording the gels shape memory property. The strategy by forming robust noncovalent bonds between interpenetrating networks should be applicable to other systems for designing tough and versatile hydrogels with diverse promising applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 1281–1286     

Rapid shape memory and pH-modulated spontaneous actuation of dopamine containing hydrogels

The dopamine containing hydrogels with rapid responsive shape memory capability were synthesized by a one-pot method.The temporary shape of hydrogel was fixed within 20 s in NaOH solution by the tris-complex crosslinking of metalligand complex between Fe3+ ions and catechol groups,while the permanent shape was recovered completely in HCl solution within 60 s upon the change from tris-complex to mono-complex.The hydrogel showed unique spontaneous actuation behavior.It could curl spontaneously without further external force deformation when immersed in NaOH solution again after the first shape recovery in HCl solution.This might be attributed to the competitive result of swelling and additional tris-complex crosslinking formation when immersed in NaOH solution.In addition,the hydrogels also had proper modulus,elongation ratio and tensile strength.Such hydrogel provides a new candidate material for designing soft actuators and robots modulated with spontaneous actuating.     

Synthesis,structure and mechanical properties of nanocomposites based on exfoliated nano magnesium silicate crystal and poly(acrylamide)

In this study, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide based nanocomposite (HPAM-NC) hydrogels crosslinked by chromium (III) acetate, was synthesized using free radical polymerization. The introduction of magnesium silicate nanocrystals (MSNCs) into the hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) network endows the system with enhanced mechanical properties. The successful formation and crystalline behavior of HPAM-NC hydrogels was verified by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses. Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and rheology tests showed that the morphology and mechanical properties of HPAM-NC hydrogels were strongly influenced by different content of parameters including concentration of copolymer, nanoparticle and cross-linker. The results showed that this nanocomposite hydrogel is a moldable material so it can expand its application as value-added product.     

Fracture Behavior of Two Highly Stretchable Double Network Hydrogels

The static and dynamic mechanical behavior of two double network (DN) hydrogels, alginate/polyacrylamide (PAAm) hybrid hydrogel and sodium poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) PNaAMPS/PAAm, is presented to understand the role played by different cross-linked networks on fracture and recovery properties. Although with a smaller modulus, alginate/PAAm hybrid hydrogel had a much higher stretchability, whether with or without notches, in the tensile tests. Continuous step strain measurement by using a strain-controlled parallel-plate rheometer showed that alginate/PAAm can immediately recover its mechanical properties after breakdown, while PNaAMPS/PAAm didn't show mechanical recovery at all.     

Characterization of structured acrylamide/acrylic acid hydrogels by TMDSC and microscopy

The thermal behavior of hydrogels synthesized by solution polymerization between acrylamide, acrylic acid and diglycidyl acrylate (DGA) as a crosslinking agent was investigated. The structure of the hydrogel can be tightly controlled with the reaction temperature. This method produces a new type of hydrogels, which exhibit well defined structures at various scales of length simultaneously. These multi-structured hydrogels are hydrophilic, elastic, water insoluble, and soft polymers with an anisotropic optical response. The structure was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarized light microscopy (PLM) and macroscopic visualization (CCD camera). In addition, structural transitions in the hydrogels were monitored by temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC). Severe heating tests in an adiabatic oven were performed to analyze decomposition of the material. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to qualitatively analyze the hydrogels samples exposed to a sudden thermal treatment.     

Molecular model for toughening in double-network hydrogels

A molecular mechanism is proposed for the toughness enhancement observed in double-network (DN) hydrogels prepared from poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) polyelectrolyte network and poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) linear polymer. It is an extension of the phenomenological model set forth recently by Gong et al. ( Macromolecules 2007, 40, 6658- 6664 ). This mechanism rationalizes the changes in molecular structure of the DN gel constituents observed via in situ neutron scattering measurements, the composition dependence of the solution viscosity, and the thermodynamic interaction parameters of PAMPS and PAAm molecules obtained previously from neutron scattering studies. More specifically, this proposed mechanism provides an explanation for the observed periodic compositional fluctuations in the micrometer range induced by large strain deformation.     

Effects of synthesis-solvent on swelling and elastic properties of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels

Thermosensitive N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) hydrogels were synthesized by a free radical copolymerization with N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA) in four solvents: water, ethanol, acetone and N,N-dimethylformamide. The swelling and elastic properties of the hydrogels were affected by the synthesis-solvents; the hydrogels (e.g. NIPA/MBAA = 1000/50 mol/m³-pre-gel solution) synthesized in water have smaller swelling volume and larger shear modulus at 10 °C than those synthesized in amphiphilic solvents. The network structure of hydrogels was estimated in terms of the conversion and two sorts of effective crosslinking density based on the Flory theory and the concentration of crosslinker. The hydrogels synthesized in water can have the microscopic inhomogeneous network arising from the entanglement of polymer chains, while the hydrogels synthesized in amphiphilic solvents can have the homogeneous network arising from the polymer concentration lower than the pre-gel solution and can be similar in network structure to the lightly crosslinked hydrogel synthesized in water.