Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform PolyN-isopropylacrylamide Microgels
Published on: September 8, 2016
Tuning of volume phase transition for poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) ionogels by copolymerization with solvatophilic
Bernard Timothy1, Dowan Kim, Seong Il Yoo
1Department of Chemistry Education, Graduate Department of Chemical Materials, Institute for Plastic Information and Energy Materials, Pusan National University, 2 Busandaehak-ro 63 beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea. jinhwan@pusan.ac.kr.
Abstract:
Ionogels are crosslinked polymer networks that swell in ionic liquids (ILs) and exhibit high conductivity and chemical stability. Combined with a representative thermally responsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm), previously studied ionogels fulfilled the requirements for smart responsive materials, but their transition temperature in hydrophobic ILs exceeded that which could be used for practical applications. In this study, we prepared transition temperature tunable ionogels via copolymerization of NIPAm with solvatophilic N,N'-diethylacrylamide (NDEAm). The hydrophobic diethyl moiety in NDEAm promoted ionogel solvatophilicity toward the IL, resulting in a larger swelling ratio, lower volume phase transition temperature, and narrower transition range with increase in NDEAm content in the prepared ionogels. Based on these fundamental observations, ionogels that exhibit a volume phase transition near room temperature were prepared. We also studied the swelling and deswelling kinetics of the prepared ionogels, revealing that the deswelling rate is much slower than swelling due to the formation of a dense skin layer on the ionogel surface.
More Related Videos
09:09Synthesis of PolyN-isopropylacrylamide Janus Microhydrogels for Anisotropic Thermo-responsiveness and Organophilic/Hydrophilic Loading Capability
Published on: February 27, 2016
12:22Synthesis of Thermogelling PolyN-isopropylacrylamide-graft-chondroitin Sulfate Composites with Alginate Microparticles for Tissue Engineering
Published on: October 26, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Phase Transitions
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation
Phase Diagrams
Properties of Transition Metals