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Synthesis of thermo‐responsive microgels in supercritical carbon dioxide using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross‐linker
Author(s) -
Hu Yaodong,
Cao Liqin,
Xiao Feng,
Wang Jide
Publication year - 2010
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.1440
Subject(s) - materials science , supercritical carbon dioxide , supercritical fluid , polymer , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , ethylene glycol , ethylene glycol dimethacrylate , particle size , polymerization , organic chemistry , composite material , methacrylic acid , chemistry , engineering
Herein, we report the preparation of thermo‐responsive polymers in a green medium. The white, dry, fine powders were obtained directly from the cross‐linking polymerization of N ‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ) at pressures ranging from 10 to 28 MPa utilizing ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross‐linker. The effects of reaction pressure, cross‐linker ratio, initiator concentration, and reaction time were investigated. In the presence of this cross‐linker (26.4% w/w), much smaller poly( N ‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) microgels (<0.2 µm diameter) were formed, and it was shown that the particle size and the morphology of the polymer were strongly dependent on the cross‐linker ratio in scCO 2 . Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.