Self-assembly of Hollow PNIPAM Microgels to Form Discontinuously Hollow Fibers

A new kind of hollow hydrogel microfiber with discontinuous hollow structure was prepared by an ice-segregation-induced self-assembly process. Monodisperse thermo-responsive hollow poly（N-isopropylacrylamide）（PNIPAM） microgels were first synthesized by seed precipitation polymerization using colloid...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chinese journal of polymer science 2014-11, Vol.32 (11), p.1544-1549
Main Authors: Liu, Xiao-yun, Yang, Jian-mao, Zha, Liu-sheng, Jiang, Zi-jun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Dispersions
Freezing
Hydrogels
Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering
Microfibers
Microgels
PNIPAM
Polymer Sciences
Seeds
Self assembly
Silicon dioxide
中空纤维
微凝胶
扫描电子显微镜
空心
聚（N-异丙基丙烯酰胺）
自组装
非连续
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Summary:A new kind of hollow hydrogel microfiber with discontinuous hollow structure was prepared by an ice-segregation-induced self-assembly process. Monodisperse thermo-responsive hollow poly（N-isopropylacrylamide）（PNIPAM） microgels were first synthesized by seed precipitation polymerization using colloidal Si O2 nanoparticles as seeds, followed by removing the silica cores of the formed Si O2/PNIPAM core/shell composite microgels with hydrofluoric acid. Then, the discontinuously hollow hydrogel microfibers were produced by unidirectional freezing of 1 wt% hollow PNIPAM microgel aqueous dispersion in liquid nitrogen bath, followed by freeze-drying to remove the formed ice crystals. Many orderly arrayed dents were observed on the surfaces of the hydrogel microfibers by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, indicating that they are constructed by closely packed monodisperse hollow PNIPAM microgels. The effect of freezing method and the hollow microgel concentration in the aqueous dispersion on the morphological structure of the hollow hydrogel microfibers was investigated.
ISSN:0256-7679
1439-6203
DOI:10.1007/s10118-014-1508-8