Double-networks based on interconnected amphiphilic “in–out” star first polymer conetworks prepared by RAFT polymerization |
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| Authors: | Elina N Kitiri Constantina K Varnava Costas S Patrickios Chrysovalantis Voutouri Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos Michael Gradzielski Ingo Hoffmann |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Chemistry, University of Cyprus, P. O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus;2. Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, P. O. Box 20537, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus;3. Stranski Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Strasse des 17, Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany;4. Institut Max von Laue-Paul Langevin (ILL), F-38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France |
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| Abstract: | Double-network hydrogels were prepared using well-defined first networks comprising interconnected amphiphilic “in-out” star copolymers synthesized via sequential reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and second networks based on a photopolymerized mixture of acrylamide and N,N′-methlyenebisacrylamide. All first and double-network hydrogels were characterized in terms of their aqueous degrees of swelling and mechanical properties in compression. The most hydrophobic first and double-network hydrogels exhibited the best mechanical properties, which may be attributed to their low aqueous swelling degrees and good mesoscale organization in water as revealed using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) which showed that the size of the formed hydrophobic domains could be controlled by the polymer conetwork structure. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2161–2174 |
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| Keywords: | amphiphilic polymer conetworks double-networks reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization self-assembly small-angle neutron scattering |
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