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Complexation in poly(ethylene glycol-g-methacrylic acid) hydrogels

Conference ·
OSTI ID:141736
;  [1]
  1. Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN (United States)
Novel hydrogels of poly(ethylene glycol-g-methacrylic acid) (PEG-g-MAA) were prepared by reaction of methacrylic acid with poly(ethylene glycol) of molecular weight 200, 400, and 1000. The ratios of poly(ethylene glycol) to methacrylic acid were 60:40, 50:50, and 40:60. Tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) was added as the crosslinking agent at about 0.01 mol/mol MAA monomer. The reaction was carried out at 37{degrees}C for 24 hours. Thin disks of resulting polymers were swollen in acidic and basic solutions with pH ranging from 2 to 12. It was found that the weight swelling ration increased significantly in the alkaline environment with the transition being about 5.5 to 6.0 depending on the molecular weight of PEG and the ratio of PEG to MAA. The pH dependent weight swelling ratio was also measured as pH changes within a few minutes. The response was fastest when changing from an alkaline to an acidic environment. The results were analyzed in terms of a Boltzman superposition based model.
OSTI ID:
141736
Report Number(s):
CONF-930304--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English