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Analysis of poly(ethylene glycol)‐diacrylate macromer polymerization within a multicomponent semi‐interpenetrating polymer network system
Author(s) -
Witte Richard P.,
Blake Alexander J.,
Palmer Christine,
Kao Weiyuan John
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1552-4965
pISSN - 1549-3296
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.a.30179
Subject(s) - photoinitiator , materials science , ethylene glycol , swelling , interpenetrating polymer network , gelatin , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , polymer chemistry , photopolymer , polymer , polymerization , prepolymer , nuclear chemistry , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , polyurethane , composite material , monomer , engineering
Semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) containing poly(ethylene glycol)‐diacrylate (PEGdA) and modified gelatin were prepared with 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone (DMPA) as a photoinitiator. The effect of (i) initiator and PEGdA concentration, and (ii) weight ratio and type of modified gelatin on the conversion of PEGdA functional end groups was monitored in situ using attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR). Reaction induction time was dependent on DMPA concentration and increased with decreasing DMPA concentration. Relative reaction rate was strongly dependent on both DMPA and PEGdA concentrations. Gelatin weight ratio and modification did not significantly affect reaction induction time, relative reaction rate, or reaction end time. Swelling/degradation kinetics at various aqueous conditions sought to establish relationships between diacrylate conversion and the resulting semi‐IPN physical properties. Semi‐IPN swelling weight ratio was strongly dependent on solvent conditions and semi‐IPN exposure to γ‐irradiation. Gelatin backbone modification and UV exposure time exhibited no effect on semi‐IPN swelling weight ratio. In conclusion, ATR‐FTIR presents a viable means of monitoring the conversion of PEGdA functional end groups within a complex mixture. UV exposure >10 s did not significantly affect the weight swelling ratio, and supports our ATR‐FTIR results that network formation reached completion before 3 min of UV exposure. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 71A: 508–518, 2004