Swelling of Thermo-Responsive Gels in Aqueous Solutions of Salts: A Predictive Model.

ABSTRACT: The equilibrium degree of swelling of thermo-responsive (TR) gels is strongly affected by the presence of ions in an aqueous solution. This phenomenon plays an important role in (i) the synthesis of multi-stimuli-responsive gels for soft robotics, where extraordinary strength and toughness are reached by soaking of a gel in solutions of multivalent ions, and (ii) the preparation of hybrid gels with interpenetrating networks formed by covalently cross-linked synthetic chains and ionically cross-linked biopolymer chains. A model is developed for equilibrium swelling of a TR gel in aqueous solutions of salts at various temperatures T below and above the critical temperature at which collapse of the gel occurs. An advantage of the model is that it involves a a small (compared with conve

SUBMITTER: Drozdov AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9415754 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature