Swelling of micro-hydrogels with a crosslinker gradient† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: A SasView implementation of the described form factor is provided, as well as an exploration towards the properties of the corona of dangling ends. See DOI: 10.1039/c7cp02434g
نویسندگان
چکیده
A heterogeneous distribution of crosslinker in micro-hydrogels (microgels) results in a non-uniform polymer density inside the particles. Identifying the morphology of the hydrogel backbone enables a bottom-up approach towards the structural and rheological properties of microgel systems. On a local level we use a Flory-Rehner inspired model that focuses on highly swollen networks, characterized by a Poisson's ratio of 1/4. Our ab initio calculations take account for the nonuniform distribution of crosslinker species during the synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels, yet the method is also applicable to other microgel architectures. We recover a single-particle density profile that is in close agreement with SAXS data. Comparison with experimental data confirms that the surface of the cross-linked particle is decorated with dangling polymers ends of considerable size.
منابع مشابه
Spatially-resolved soft materials for controlled release – hybrid hydrogels combining a robust photo-activated polymer gel with an interactive supramolecular gel† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Full experimental methods and further data from assays. See DOI: 10.1039/c7sc02210g Click here for additional data file.
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