Cation-induced morphological transitions and aggregation of thermoresponsive PNIPAM nanogels.

ABSTRACT: Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanogels are promising responsive colloidal particles that can be used in pharmaceutical applications as drug carriers. This work investigates the temperature-dependent morphological changes and agglomeration of PNIPAM nanogels in the presence of mono- and multi-valent cationic electrolytes. We described the deswelling, flocculation, thermal reversibility behaviour and aggregated morphology of PNIPAM nanogels over a range of electrolyte concentrations and temperatures revealing the critical transition points from stable suspension to spontaneous agglomeration. We demonstrated that the flocculating ability and the rate of aggregate formation follow the order of deswelling behaviour. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy anal

SUBMITTER: Zhu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11252870 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature