Authors:	Nicolella, Paola Lauxen, Daniel Ahmadi, Mostafa Seiffert, Sebastian
Title:	Reversible hydrogels with switchable diffusive permeability
Online publication date:	9-Nov-2022
Year of first publication:	2021
Language:	english
Abstract:	Hydrogels are polymer networks swollen in water that are characterized by soft mechanics and high permeability. This makes them good candidates for separation and membrane technologies. The diffusion is controlled by the mesh size of the network, and this can be made tunable through the introduction of thermoresponsive polymers. However, this is still a developing field. To contribute to this development, a dual dynamic network is formed composed of four-arm polyethylene glycol precursors in which each arm is functionalized with both a terpyridine moiety capable of forming reversible metal–ligand complexes along with branches of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm), which can be switched between expanded and collapsed states and therewith offers a path for switching the microscopic gel-network mesh size, along with the macroscopic gel elasticity. The dually sensitive hydrogel has the capability of doubling its elastic modulus when going above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of pNIPAAm. In addition, the diffusive permeability of the hydrogel is switched upon change of temperature, whereby diffusants are trapped above the LCST of pNIPAAm. Moreover, it is possible to disassemble and reform the gel upon change of pH. With that, the hydrogel has potential application as a switchable and reversible membrane.
DDC:	540 Chemie 540 Chemistry and allied sciences
Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department:	FB 09 Chemie, Pharmazie u. Geowissensch.
Place:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-8067
Version:	Published version
Publication type:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
License:	CC BY
Information on rights of use:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Journal:	Macromolecular chemistry and physics 222 16
Pages or article number:	2100076
Publisher:	Wiley-VCH
Publisher place:	Weinheim
Issue date:	2021
ISSN:	1521-3935
Publisher DOI:	10.1002/macp.202100076
Appears in collections:	JGU-Publikationen