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Progress in the development of interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels
Author(s) -
Myung David,
Waters Dale,
Wiseman Meredith,
Duhamel PierreEmile,
Noolandi Jaan,
Ta Christopher N.,
Frank Curtis W.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.1134
Subject(s) - interpenetrating polymer network , materials science , self healing hydrogels , photoinitiator , ethylene glycol , polymer , acrylic acid , swelling , polymer network , polymerization , prepolymer , peg ratio , composite material , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , polyurethane , monomer , finance , engineering , economics
Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) have been the subject of extensive study since their advent in the 1960s. Hydrogel IPN systems have garnered significant attention in the last two decades due to their usefulness in biomedical applications. Of particular interest are the mechanical enhancements observed in “double network” IPN systems which exhibit nonlinear increases in fracture properties despite being composed of otherwise weak polymers. We have built upon pioneering work in this field as well as in responsive IPN systems to develop an IPN system based on end‐linked poly‐(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and loosely crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with hydrogen bond‐ reinforced strain‐hardening behavior in water and high initial Young's moduli under physiologic buffer conditions through osmotically induced pre‐stress. Uniaxial tensile tests and equilibrium swelling measurements were used to study PEG/PAA IPN hydrogels having second networks prepared with varying crosslinking and photoinitiator content, pH, solids content, and comonomers. Studies involving the addition of non‐ionic comonomers and neutralization of the second network showed that template polymerization appears to be important in the formation of mechanically enhanced IPNs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.