Controlling the Friction of Gels by Regulating Interfacial Oxygen During Polymerization

• Published in: Tribology letters Vol. 69; no. 3; p. 86
• Main Authors: Simič, Rok, Spencer, Nicholas D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.09.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acrylamide; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry and Materials Science; Contact lenses; Control methods; Corrosion and Coatings; Free radical polymerization; Friction; Hydrogels; in memoriam; Mark Robbins; Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Physical Chemistry; Polymerization; Surface structure; Surfaces and Interfaces; Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; Thin Films; Tribology; Tribology Methods; Surfaces; Oxygen; Free-radical polymerization; Hydrogels; Friction; Tribology
• ISSN: 1023-8883; 1573-2711
• DOI: 10.1007/s11249-021-01459-1

Hydrogel surfaces are of great interest in applications ranging from cell scaffolds and transdermal drug-delivery patches to catheter coatings and contact lenses. In this work, we propose a method to control the surface structure of hydrogels, thereby tailoring their frictional properties. The method is based on oxygen inhibition of the free-radical polymerization reaction during synthesis and enables (i) control of friction over more than an order in magnitude and (ii) spatial control of friction as either a continuous gradient or a distinct pattern. The presented method has successfully been applied to acrylamide-, diacrylate- and methacrylate-based gels, illustrating the universality of the presented method, and its potential use in the above-mentioned applications. Graphical Abstract