A comparison of the swelling behaviour of copolymer and interpenetrating network microgel particles

 A comparison of the swelling behaviour of two types of hydrogel particles, namely, random poly[(acrylic acid)-co-(acrylamide)] [P(AAc-co-AAm)] particles and PAAc/PAAm interpenetrating network (IPN) particles, has been made using temperature and pH as the triggers. Both types of particles were synthesised by inverse microemulsion polymerisation. The conversion yield of AAc was found to be around 60 wt% due to the partition of this monomer between the aqueous and organic phases. The AAc content was thus lower in the final particles than in the initial composition. Both types of hydrogel particle exhibit an upper critical solution temperature associated with the breakage of the polymer–polymer hydrogen bonds. The maximum swelling ratio occurred in both cases at approximately equimolar AAc and AAm content of the particles. A sharper swelling transition was observed for the PAAc/PAAm IPN particles. This is because of the co-operative nature of the interactions between the PAAc and PAAm chains, the so-called “zipper effect”. A very much higher swelling ratio was obtained using pH as the trigger compared to using temperature. This difference in behaviour is related to the relative strengths of the forces involved in the particle swelling. Electrostatic repulsion forces, associated with the AAc dissociation with increasing pH, are much stronger than the hydrogen bonds. Received: 18 August 1999/Accepted: 28 August 1999     

Phase Transition of Acrylamide‐Based Polyampholyte Gels in Water

The swelling behavior of acrylamide (AAm)–based polyampholyte hydrogels in water and in aqueous salt (NaCl) solutions was investigated. [(Methacrylamido)propyl]trimethyl‐ammonium chloride (MAPTAC) and acrylic acid (AAc) were used as the ionic comonomer in the hydrogel preparation. Three sets of hydrogels containing 70 mol% AAm and 30 mol% ionic comonomers of varying mole ratios were prepared. The variations of the hydrogel volume in response to changes in pH, and salt concentration were measured. As pH increases from 1, the hydrogel volume V _eq in water first increases and reaches a maximum value at a certain pH. Then, it decreases again with a further increase in pH and attains a minimum value around the isoelectric point (IEP). After passing the collapsed plateau region, the gel reswells again up to pH=7.1. The reswelling of the collapsed gels containing 10 and 4% MAPTAC occurs as a first‐order phase transition at pH=5.85 and 4.35, respectively, while the hydrogel with 1% MAPTAC reswells continuously beyond its IEP. Depending on pH of the solution, the hydrogels immersed in salt solutions exhibit typical polyelectrolyte or antipolyelectrolye behavior. The experimental swelling data were compared with the predictions of the Flory‐Rehner theory of swelling equilibrium including the ideal Donnan equilibria. It was shown that the equilibrium swelling theory qualitatively predicts the experimental behavior of polyampholyte hydrogels.     

Structure and swelling-release behaviour of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and acrylic acid (AAc) copolymer hydrogels prepared by gamma irradiation

Copolymer network hydrogels were prepared by gamma irradiation of aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and acrylic acid monomer (AAc). The composition of the final hydrogels compared to the composition of the initial preparation solutions of hydrogels was determined. The chemical structure and nature of bonding was characterized by IR spectroscopy analysis, while the thermal durability of the prepared hydrogels was assessed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The kinetic swelling in water and the pH-sensitivity of PVP/AAc copolymer hydrogels was studied. The drug release properties of PVP/AAc hydrogels taking methyl orange indicator as a drug model was investigated. The IR spectra indicate the formation of copolymer networks, whereas the TGA study showed that the PVP/AAc hydrogels possess higher thermal stability than pure PAAc and lower than PVP hydrogels. The kinetic swelling in water showed that all the hydrogels reached equilibrium after 24 h and that the degree of swelling increases with increasing the ratio of AAc in the initial feeding solutions. It was found that the degree of swelling of PVP/AAc hydrogels increases greatly within the pH range 4-7 depending on composition.     

Grid pattern of nanothick microgel network

A novel grid pattern of two kinds of nanothick microgels was developed by alternate patterning using photolithography. At first, 100-microm-wide nanothick PAAm microgel stripes were grafted on a polystyrene surface by UV irradiation of the photoreactive azidobenzoyl-derivatized polyallylamine-coated surface through a photomask with 100-microm-wide stripes. Then, a second set of 100-microm-wide nanothick PAAc microgel stripes were grafted across the PAAm-grated polystyrene surface by UV irradiation of the photoreactive azidophenyl-derivatized poly(acrylic acid)-coated surface through a photomask placed perpendicularly to the first set of PAAm microgel stripes. The PAAc microgel stripe pattern was formed over the PAAm microgel stripe pattern. The cross angle of the two microgel stripes could be controlled by adjusting the position of the photomask when the second microgel pattern was prepared. Swelling and shrinking of the microgels were investigated by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in an aqueous solution. SPM observation indicated that the thickness of the gel network was 100 to 500 nm. The regions containing PAAm, PAAc, and the PAAc-PAAm overlapping microgels showed different swelling and shrinking properties when the pH was changed. The PAAm microgel swelled at low pH and shrank at high pH whereas the PAAc microgel swelled at high pH and shrank at low pH. However, the PAAc-PAAm overlapping microgel did not change as significantly as did the two microgels, indicating that the swelling and shrinking of the two gels was partially offset. The pH-induced structural change was repeatedly reversible. The novel grid pattern of nanothick microgels will find applications in various fields such as smart actuators, artificial muscles, sensors, and drug delivery systems as well as in tissue engineering and so forth.     

离子键交联的聚两性电解质凝胶在不同pH和不同电解质溶液中溶胀行为研究

以丙烯酸(AA)和甲基丙烯酸二乙氨基乙酯(DEAM)形成的离子复合物与丙烯酰胺(AAm)共聚,合成了一种新型的离子键交联的聚两性电解质凝胶(PADA).由于分子之间的氢键作用,PADA凝胶并不是在A/C(负正离子单体摩尔比)为1,而是在A/C为1.55处有最大消溶胀.与共价键交联的聚两性电解质凝胶相比,PADA凝胶的溶胀行为具有更强的pH敏感性.PADA凝胶在不同pH缓冲溶液中的溶胀行为表明,在pH 3~4之间消溶胀程度最大.在偏离该pH区域时凝胶均发生溶胀.但凝胶的溶胀程度在pH<3的酸性溶液中随A/C的增加而降低;而在pH>4的偏碱性溶液中随其增加而增加.在不同价数的离子溶液中,离子浓度对于PADA凝胶的平衡溶胀有着不同的影响.对于一价的NaCl溶液,PADA凝胶有典型的反聚电解质效应.但对于高价的CaCl2和柠檬酸三钠溶液,只在较低的浓度下,才表现出反聚电解质效应.而在较高盐浓度时,随盐浓度的增加其溶胀比反而降低.这可能与高价离子形成的离子键交联有关.与pH对PADA凝胶溶胀程度的影响相似,在CaCl2溶液中,PADA凝胶的溶胀程度随A/C的增加而降低;而在柠檬酸三钠溶液中则刚好相反.这种独特的溶胀行为似乎与高价离子电荷的正负性有关.     

Gamma radiation synthesis of comb-type graft hydrogels based on poly(acrylic acid) and 4-vinylpyridine

A pH-sensitive comb-type hydrogel was obtained by gamma radiation polymerization and crosslinking of acrylic acid (AAc) in solution. The pH-sensitive 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) was then grafted to the poly acrylic acid (PAAc) hydrogel using gamma radiation from a ⁶⁰Co source. The comb type graft polymers obtained (net-PAAc)-g-4VP has been studied through determination of graft yield and swelling behavior. The critical pH value was found to be 5.6. The apparent mechanical properties appear to be qualitatively better than hydrogels of PAAc upon swelling. The new comb-type system presents faster swelling response (30 h) than the polyacrylic acid hydrogel (50 h). The increase in dose rate from 7.3 to 11.3 kGy h⁻¹, increase the radiation grafting percentage of 4VP in the system. Comb-type polymers were also characterized by DSC, TGA and FTIR-ATR.     

Preparation and Characterization of pH-sensitive Hydrogel Film of Chitosan/Poly(acrylic acid) Copolymer

A hydrogel film of chitosan/poly(acrylic acid) (CS/PAAc) copolymer with the property of pH sensitivity, was prepared by irradiating the chitosan film, which was then swelled by aqueous AAc solutions of different concentrations. The effects of the feed ratio of chitosan and AAc on the properties of the hydrogels, such as swelling ratio and pH-sensitivity, were determined. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was applied in the attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode for analyzing the structure change of the hydrogels after the treatment in buffer solutions of different pHs.     

Polyampholyte gels of a cross-linked polyanion or polycation network into which an oppositely charged polyion was immobilized

Three polyampholyte gels (G1 to G3) composed of acrylic acid (AA), 1-vinylimidazole (VI) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) were prepared: G1 with a pre-gel solution (pH?≈?12) containing NIPA (700 mM), AA (150 mM), VI (150 mM) and N,N′-methylenebis(acrylamide) (10 mM); G2 with the same pre-gel, except for containing poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) (150 unit mM) instead of AA; and G3 with the same pre-gel, except for containing poly(1-vinylimidazole) (PVI) (150 unit mM) instead of VI. The immobilization of PAA ( $ {\overline M_{\text{w}}} = {2}0{5},000 $ ) and PVI ( $$ {\overline M_{\text{w}}} = <$> <$>35,900 $$ ) resulted in transparent G2 and G3, respectively, while G3 with another PVI ( $ {\overline M_{\text{w}}} = {193},000 $ ) was opaque. Potentiometric titrations and swelling measurements of an anionic and a cationic copolymer gel (as a control sample) suggested that each polyampholyte gel exhibits an isoelectric point (pI) at pH?≈?5.6, at which the electrostatic attraction between the carboxylate and imidazole ions leads to gel collapse. Indeed, all the ampholyte gels underwent a collapse transition at pH around the pI upon cyclic pH changes (first increased and then decreased). The pH region where gel collapse was observed, however, was broader for G2 and G3 (with immobilized polyions) than for G1 (random terpolymer gel). The swelling/deswelling characteristics of transparent and opaque G3 gels were different from each other, and also from those of G1 and G2. These results were discussed in terms of the role of hydrogen bonding of the amide with the carboxyl or imidazole groups in the collapse transition of the ampholyte gels.     

Cu(II) immobilization in AAc/NIPAAm-based polymer systems synthesized using ionizing radiation

Polymer systems based on the pH-responsive monomer acrylic acid (AAc) and the thermosensitive monomer N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) were synthesized using gamma radiation. Three systems were synthesized: a comb-type hydrogel structure (grafting of NIPAAm onto crosslinked PAAc), a binary graft of both monomers onto a polypropylene (PP) film synthesized by a one-step method and a binary graft prepared by a two-step method. The binary graft systems were characterized by swelling behavior and the reversibility of water uptake. The three systems were compared with respect to their Cu(II) adsorption quantity, reversibility and time response. The binary graft system synthesized in one step exhibited the best adsorption response. The comb-type hydrogel required 150 h to reach its maximum swelling percentage, and the binary graft systems on polypropylene (PP) prepared by the one- and two-step irradiation-based methods required 10 and 30 min, respectively. The optimum pH range for Cu(II) immobilization was 5-6 in the binary graft system synthesized in one step. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cu(II) in the (PP-g-(AAc/NIPAAm)) (45% graft) was found to be 337 mg g⁻¹, and the adsorption followed the Freundlich model.     

Novel comb-type hydrogels of net-[PP-g-AAc]-g-4VP synthesized by gamma radiation,with possible application on Cu2+ immobilization

A novel comb-type grafted hydrogel system of net-[PP-g-AAc]-g-4VP was synthesized by gamma radiation in three steps. In the first step a pH sensitive graft copolymer of AAc onto PP film was obtained by radiation grafting of acrylic acid (AAc) onto polypropylene (PP) films in aqueous solution at radiation doses of 10 kGy with a ⁶⁰Co source. The grafted side chains of poly (acrylic acid) (PAAc) were then cross-linked with gamma radiation at different radiation doses to give net-[PP-g-AAc]. Finally, 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) was grafted into the net-[PP-g-AAc]. The comb-type grafted hydrogel obtained, net-[PP-g-AAc]-g-4VP, has been studied through determination of graft yield and swelling behavior at room temperature. Two critical pH values were found for net-[PP-g-AAc]-g-4VP at 4.5 and 7.2. Initial studies on the immobilization of Cu²⁺ ions from solution into net-[PP-g-AAc]-g-4VP films were performed.The comb-type grafted hydrogel, grafted onto PP was also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and FTIR-ATR.     

电场敏感性聚(丙烯酸-co-丙烯酸甲酯)凝胶的合成和性能

以丙烯酸、丙烯酸甲酯为单体,亚甲基双丙烯酰胺为交联剂,过硫酸铵为引发剂,N,N-四甲基乙二胺为促进剂,合成了一系列电场敏感性凝胶.研究了氯化钠溶液,pH缓冲溶液对凝胶平衡溶胀度的影响,并测定了所得电场敏感性凝胶在电场作用下的脱水行为.研究结果表明,所得凝胶具有很好的电场敏感性.此外,初步讨论了该类电场敏感性凝胶的电致收缩机理.     

Gradual phase transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) gel induced by electric current

The copolymer gels showing gradual phase transition induced by temperature were synthesized by redox random copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and acrylic acid (AAc) monomer under a constant electric current. The behavior of gradual phase transition induced by temperature was examined by measuring the thermal properties, pKa values and swelling ratio. The experimental results indicate that temperature-induced gradual phase transitions of poly(NIPAAm-co-AAc) gel are mainly driven by transport before polymerization and protonation/ionization of the AAc, caused by the electric current.     

Radiation Synthesis of Superabsorbent Hydrogels Based on Chitosan and Acrylic Acid for Controlled Drug Release

Superabsorbent hydrogels based on the natural polymer chitosan and acrylic acid (CS/AAc) was prepared using ⁶⁰Co gamma radiation as a source of initiation and crosslinking. The factors, which affect the preparation of CS/AAc hydrogels such as irradiation dose, CS/AAc ratios, and acrylic acid monomer concentrations, to get the best optimum conditions, were investigated. The kinetic studies of the swelling of CS/AAc hydrogel showed that it follows a Fickian type of water diffusion. The Fickian constant value ‘n’ was more than 0.5 with a high swelling capacity of 300 g/g as superabsorbent hydrogel. In addition, the suitability of CS/AAc hydrogel as carrier material for the drug Chlortetracycline-HCl has been investigated by adsorption isotherm studies. The performance of drug release from hydrogel systems, influenced by acrylic acid ratio and the effect of pH of the medium was studied.     

Graft copolymerization kinetics of acrylic acid onto the poly(ethylene terephthalate) surface by atmospheric pressure plasma inducement

After one atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film, acrylic acid (AAc) in aqueous solution was successfully graft‐copolymerized onto PET films. The effects of reaction time, AAc monomer concentration and reaction temperature on grafting behavior of AAc were systematically studied. Possible reaction kinetics of plasma‐induced graft copolymerization, starting from initial hydroperoxide decomposition, were proposed. Through the Arrhenius analysis about graft copolymerization kinetics of AAc monomers on PET surface, it was revealed that the activation energies of decomposition, propagation and termination were 98.4, 63.5, and 17.5 kJ/mol, respectively. The temperature around 80 °C was favorable not only for the formation of oxide radicals through the thermal decomposition of hydroperoxide on PET surface but also for the extension of graft copolymer chain through direct polymer grafting. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) grains grafted onto PET surfaces possessed relatively uniform size and both PAAc grain size and surface roughness increased with increasing the grafting degree of AAc. The increase of grain size with increasing grafting degree results from the possibility of forming long chain graft copolymers and their shielding of reactive sites. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1594–1601, 2008     

基于超支化聚合物两性水凝胶的制备及性能

通过N-丙烯酰-1,2-乙二胺盐酸盐(ADE)的Michael加成反应制备阳离子超支化低聚物聚N-丙烯酰-1,2-乙二胺盐酸盐(HADE),以HADE为大分子单体,以丙烯酰胺(AAm)和丙烯酸(AAc)为单体,在无需外加有机交联剂的条件下制备具有高机械强度的两性聚电解质水凝胶(HAH凝胶).结果表明,HAH凝胶可以被压缩超过99%的形变而不断裂,压缩强度高达61.2 MPa;HAH凝胶的断裂伸长率和断裂强度分别达到1700%和70.2 k Pa.由于HADE末端伯胺基与强氧化引发剂通过氧化还原反应生成胺自由基和自身结构中的双键同时参与聚合反应,因而为凝胶网络形成提供了必要的化学交联作用.同时HADE结构中胺基正电荷与AAc的羧基负电荷之间的离子交联也为凝胶网络提供了物理交联作用.2种交联作用的协同作用是HAH凝胶具有良好机械性能的根本原因.     

Radiation synthesis of acrylic acid/polyethyleneimine interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) hydrogels and its application as a carrier of atorvastatin drug for controlling cholesterol

Gamma irradiation was used to form interpenetrating polymer networks structure (IPNs) hydrogels based on different ratios of acrylic acid monomer (AAc) and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The property-behavior was characterized by IR spectroscopy, gel content, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and swelling in water at room temperature and different pH values. The AAc/PEI hydrogels were used as a carrier for atorvastatin drug, in which the uptake-release character was studied. The results showed that the gel content of AAc/PEI hydrogels decreased greatly with increasing the ratio of PEI in the initial feeding solution. The AAc/PEI hydrogels displayed pH-sensitive character. The drug uptake-release study indicated that AAc/PEI hydrogels possessed controlled release behavior and that the release process depends on pH. In this respect, the release of atorvastatin drug was significant in acidic medium.     

Swelling behaviors of thermoresponsive hydrogels cross-linked with acryloyloxyethylaminopolysuccinimide

Based on a biodegradable cross-linker, acryloyloxyethylaminopolysuccinimide (AEA-PSI), a series of looser cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [P(NIPAAm-co-AAc)] hydrogels were prepared, and their water content, swelling/deswelling kinetics, and the morphology of the gels were investigated. The swelling behaviors of AEA-PSI-cross-linked P(NIPAAm/AAc) hydrogels were investigated in Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline (pH = 7.4), in the distilled water, and in the simulated gastric fluids (pH = 1.2), respectively. The water contents of the hydrogels were controlled by the monomer molar ratio of NIPAAm/AAc, swelling media, and the temperature. In the swelling kinetics, all the dried hydrogels exhibited fast swelling behavior, and the swelling ratios were influenced significantly by the amounts of AEA-PSI and AAc content. The deswelling kinetics of the hydrogel were independent of the content of AAc and cross-linker. Lastly, the morphology of the hydrogels was estimated by the field scan electron microscopy.     

微凝胶增强两性复合水凝胶的制备与性能

将核壳微凝胶包埋在两性基质中,制备了复合水凝胶(CAH)。 研究发现,利用微凝胶与聚合物链之间的物理缠结作用,可以使复合凝胶具有致密的网络结构,力学性能显著提高;复合凝胶对pH和离子强度敏感,呈现出典型的两性聚电解质凝胶的溶胀行为。 同时微凝胶的存在和特殊的复合结构,可赋予CAH两性凝胶基质所不具有的响应性,并实现在高温下快速响应。     

Radiation grafting of pH and thermosensitive N-isopropylacrylamide and acrylic acid onto PTFE films by two-steps process

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was grafted (g) with acrylic acid (AAc) by γ-ray pre-irradiation method to get PTFE-g-AAc films, then N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) was grafted onto PTFE-g-AAc films with γ-ray to get (PTFE-g-AAc)-g-NIPAAm. PTFE films were irradiated in air at a dose rate of 3.0 kGy h^–1 and different radiation dose. The irradiated films were placed in glass ampoules, which contained aqueous solutions with different monomer concentration (AAc), and then they were heated at different temperatures and reaction time. NIPAAm onto PTFE-g-AAc was carried out with the same procedure with monomer concentration of 1 mol L⁻¹. The thermosensitivity of the samples was defined and calculated as the ratio of the grafted samples swelling at 28 and 35 °C, and pH sensitivity defined as the ratio of the grafted samples swelling at pH 2 and 8.     

Permeability control of metal ions using temperature- and pH-sensitive gel membranes

Temperature- and pH-sensitive copolymer gels were synthesized by the simultaneously occurring radiation-induced polymerization and self-bridging of acryloyl- -proline methyl ester (A-ProOMe) with acrylic acid (AAc) in aqueous solutions. The gel swelling behavior and the metal permeation characteristic of its gel membrane were investigated with regard to very slight changes of temperature and pH. The pH threshold of the swelling of a copoly(A-ProOMe/AAc, 70/30 mol%) gel in the range of 5–30°C lay in the region between pH 4.0 and 5.0. The permeability results of metal ions showed that at 40°C the gel membrane blocks the permeation of lithium (Li) and cesium (Cs) ions at pH values lower than 4.75 and 4.60, respectively. The permselectivity (P_Li/Cs value) of the two metal ions at 30°C was also studied and, as a result, its value was obtained to be 1.33 at pH 4.65 and 30°C. This permeation study indicates that the selective metal separation of copoly(A-ProOMe/AAc) gel membranes can be controlled by changing temperature and pH values.