Ru(II)(tpy) sub(2)-functionalized hydrogels: Synthesis, reversible responsiveness, and coupling with the belousov-zhabotinsky reaction

• Published in: Journal of polymer science. Part A, Polymer chemistry Polymer chemistry, 2015-01, Vol.53 (19), p.2214-2222
• Main Authors: Zhou, Hongwei, Yang, Yan, Xu, Guohe, Chen, Weixing, Zhang, Wenzhi, Wang, Qiguan, Zheng, Zhaohui, Ding, Xiaobin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acrylamide; Copolymerization; Free radical polymerization; Functional groups; Hydrogels; Joining; Networks; Polymer chemistry; Routing (telecommunications)
• ISSN: 0887-624X; 1099-0518
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.27690

This work aims at developing an approach to Ru(II)(Tpy) sub(2)-functionalized hydrogels and exploring the coupling of the hydrogels with the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. Based on free radical polymerization, two synthetic routes are developed. The first one is the direct gelation by copolymerization of acrylamide as hydrophilic component and Ru(II)(Tpy) sub(2) as the functional group. The second one is carried out through a combined approach. A terpyridine-containing hydrogel is first prepared and then post-functionalized by coordination between Ru(III)(Tpy)Cl sub(3) and terpyridine groups in the hydrogel network. Utilizing the synthetic hydrogels, the reversible redox responsiveness, the coupling with the BZ reaction, the occurrence and the self-oscillating properties of the BZ reaction in the hydrogel networks are studied. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 2214-2222 Ru(II)(Tpy) sub(2)-functionalized hydrogels are designed and prepared, the reversible redox responsiveness of the synthetic hydrogels is investigated, the occurrence of the BZ reaction in the hydrogel networks is demonstrated, and the self-oscillating properties of the BZ reaction are studied.