Controlling Syneresis of Hydrogels Using Organic Salts
Santanu Panja, B. Dietrich, Dave J. Adams
Abstract
Supramolecular hydrogels can spontaneously undergo syneresis through fibre-fibre interactions and expel significant amounts of water upon aging. In this process, the hydrophobicity of fibres which regulates the 3D-rearrangement of the self-assembled structures during syneresis is important. Here, we show that we can control the hydrophobic microenvironment of gels by incorporating organic salts into the co-assembled gel fibres thereby enabling control of the macroscopic gel volume phase transition.
Topics & Concepts
SyneresisSelf-healing hydrogelsChemical engineeringChemistrySupramolecular chemistryPhase (matter)Phase transitionPolymer chemistryMaterials scienceNanotechnologyOrganic chemistryMoleculeEngineeringPhysicsQuantum mechanicsSupramolecular Self-Assembly in MaterialsAdvanced Materials and MechanicsHydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications