Disulfide-Cross-Linked Tetra-PEG Gels.

ABSTRACT: The preparation of polymer gels via cross-linking of four-arm star-shaped poly(ethylene glycol) (Tetra-PEG) precursors is an attractive strategy to prepare networks with relatively well-defined topologies. Typically, Tetra-PEG gels are obtained by cross-linking heterocomplementary reactive Tetra-PEG precursors. This study, in contrast, explores the cross-linking of self-reactive, thiol-end functional Tetra-PEG macromers to form disulfide-cross-linked gels. The structure of the disulfide-cross-linked Tetra-PEG gels was studied with multiple-quantum NMR (MQ-NMR) spectroscopy and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments. In line with earlier simulation studies, these experiments showed a strong dependence of the relative fractions of the different network connectivities on the concen

SUBMITTER: Meng Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11008237 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature