Synthesis and Characterization of Self-oscillating P（AA-co-AM）/PEG SemiIPN Hydrogels Based on a p H Oscillator in Closed System

• Published in: 高分子科学：英文版 no. 12; p. 1581
• Main Author: Li-ping Wang Jie Ren Meng-qi Yao Xiao-ci Yang Wu Yang Yan Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: PEG; 半互穿聚合物网络; 合成; 封闭系统; 扫描电子显微镜; 振荡器; 水凝胶; 自激振荡
• ISSN: 0256-7679; 1439-6203

Various semi-interpenetrating polymer network（semi-IPN） hydrogels composed of pore-forming agent polyethylene glycol（PEG）, acrylic acid（AA） and acrylamide（AM） were prepared by using free radical polymerization with a two-step method. The chemical structures of the synthesized hydrogels were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and the morphologies were studied by scanning electron microscopy（SEM） method. The swelling properties, such as the p Hresponsive behavior, salt sensitivity, oscillatory swelling/de-swelling behaviors in different solutions with various p H values and self-oscillating behaviors in bath p H oscillator were investigated in detail. The results revealed that the prepared hydrogels exhibited high p H sensitivity and excellent salt sensitivity when the p H values of the medium changes from 3.0 and 7.0 and well reversible properties by undergoing a number of swelling/de-swelling recycles. In particular, the hydrogels exhibited self-oscillation behavior in a closed system containing Br O3？-SO32？-Fe（CN）64？-H＋. This study may create a new possibility as biomaterial for new self-walking actuators and other devices.