On Going to a New Era of Microgel Exhibiting Volume Phase Transition
Haruma Kawaguchi
Abstract
The discovery of phenomena of volume phase transition has had a great impact not only on bulk gels but also on the world of microgels. In particular, research on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels, whose transition temperature is close to body temperature, has made remarkable progress in almost 35 years. This review presents some breakthrough findings in microgels that exhibit volume phase transitions and outlines recent works on the synthesis, structural analysis, and research direction of microgels.
Topics & Concepts
Phase transitionVolume (thermodynamics)Materials scienceChemical physicsNanotechnologyPhase (matter)Polymer scienceChemical engineeringThermodynamicsChemistryPhysicsOrganic chemistryEngineeringHydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsAdvanced Materials and MechanicsLiquid Crystal Research Advancements