Double-networks based on interconnected amphiphilic “in–out” star first polymer conetworks prepared by RAFT polymerization
Date
2018Author
Kitiri, Elina N.Varnava, Constantina K.
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Gradzielski, Michael
Hoffmann, Ingo
ISSN
1099-0518Source
Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer ChemistryVolume
56Issue
19Pages
2161-2174Google Scholar check
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
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