Open AccessSynthesis and characterization of starch ether/alginate hydrogels with reversible and tunable thermoresponsive properties
Author(s) -
Mingjia Dai,
Yuna Shang,
Miao Li,
Benzhi Ju,
Ying Li,
Yantao Tian
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
materials research express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.383
H-Index - 35
ISSN - 2053-1591
DOI - 10.1088/2053-1591/abae28
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , thermogravimetric analysis , diglycidyl ether , starch , swelling , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , ether , chemistry , aqueous solution , thermogravimetry , ethanol , nuclear chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , epoxy , inorganic chemistry , engineering , bisphenol a
A thermoresponsive hydrogel that was composed of 2-hydroxy-3-isopropoxypropyl starch (HIPS) and alginate was synthesized via cross-linking with hybrid crosslinkers including ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EDGE) and calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ). Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) were used to confirm that cross-linking occurred. The porous architecture of the HIPS/SA composite hydrogels was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Composite hydrogels had a tunable volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) that was in the range from 29.4 to 40.2 °C and resulted from changes in the compositions (HIPS concentration from 5.5 to 7.5 wt%). It was also found that the presence of NaCl (0 to 20 g l −1 ) or organic solvents (alcohols, 0 to 50 g l −1 ) in aqueous medium changed the VPTT of the composite hydrogels; also, the VPTT decreased as the concentration of NaCl or organic solvents increased. Additionally, alcohols that have long carbon chains (isopropanol > ethanol > methanol) exhibited a more significant effect on the VPTT of hydrogel. The hydrogel could shed and absorb most of the water in a very short time and demonstrate a stable reversible swelling-deswelling property after 5 swelling-deswelling cycles.