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Preparation of porous polyacrylamide hydrogels by frontal polymerization
Author(s) -
Lu Guo Dong,
Yan Qing Zhi,
Ge Chang Chun
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.2235
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , polymerization , swelling , polyacrylamide , materials science , chemical engineering , porosity , porosimetry , monomer , scanning electron microscope , foaming agent , polymer chemistry , porous medium , composite material , polymer , engineering
Polyacrylamide hydrogels with defined porous structure were synthesized through frontal polymerization (FP) in the presence of NaHCO 3 as a foaming agent. Pore properties were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The as‐prepared hydrogels displayed a small cell diameter of ca 2 µm. The dissolved foaming agent dispersing at the level of molecules and the polymerization front propagating step by step should be responsible for the small uniform cell structure. The pore volume varied from 0.63 to 3.65 cm 3 g −1 and the bulk density changed from 0.48 to 0.28 g cm −3 for a foaming agent content from 0 to 18%. The hydrogels synthesized by FP exhibited higher swelling rate and swelling ratio with respect to conventional batch polymerization. The highest swelling ratio and rate were obtained at a foaming agent concentration of 12% based on monomer. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry