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Transparency and wettability of PVP/PDMS‐IPN synthesized in different organic solvents
Author(s) -
Hillerström Anna,
Andersson Martin,
Pedersen Jan Skov,
Altskär Annika,
Langton Maud,
van Stam Jan,
Kronberg Bengt
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.30673
Subject(s) - polyvinylpyrrolidone , materials science , polydimethylsiloxane , interpenetrating polymer network , chemical engineering , differential scanning calorimetry , polymerization , polymer , solvent , polymer chemistry , scanning electron microscope , hildebrand solubility parameter , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
An interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) combining a hydrophobic polymer (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) and a hydrophilic polymer (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP) was synthesized in different solvents via a two‐step preparation method. The solvent used during polymerization of the IPN showed a significant impact on the properties of the PVP/PDMS‐IPN. The choice of solvent was affecting both the wettability and transparency of the PVP/PDMS‐IPN. The PVP/PDMS‐IPNs turned hydrophilic in all the solvents used in this study, but the transition from a hydrophobic to a hydrophilic PVP/PDMS‐IPN occurred at lower PVP concentration if a solvent with similar solubility parameter as PVP was chosen. Also, the PVP/PDMS‐IPNs were transparent when the samples were polymerized in a good solvent for PVP. It was concluded that the properties of the PVP/PDMS‐IPN can be tuned by the selection of the solvent used during polymerization. The size of the PVP phase domains in the PVP/PDMS‐IPNs were analyzed with X‐ray scattering techniques (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the sizes of the domains were found to be smaller than 350 nm. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009