A Solvent-Exchange Strategy to Regulate Noncovalent Interactions for Strong and Antiswelling Hydrogels
Liju Xu1,2, Shan Gao3, Qirui Guo1,2
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|November 10, 2020
Summary
A new solvent-exchange method creates robust physical hydrogels (exogels) with enhanced mechanical strength and water resistance. This approach improves hydrogel properties for applications like underwater adhesives and artificial tissues.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Biomaterials Engineering
Background:
- Physical hydrogels utilize noncovalent interactions for tunable properties and environmental friendliness.
- Existing hydrogels often exhibit poor mechanical strength and water resistance.
- Current fabrication methods like cryogels are complex and limit polymer conformation control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile and effective strategy for fabricating enhanced physical hydrogels.
- To overcome the limitations of mechanical weakness and water sensitivity in existing hydrogels.
- To leverage noncovalent bonds for rational hydrogel design.
Main Methods:
- A solvent-exchange strategy was developed to create exogels.
- Polymers were dissolved and cross-linked by exchanging from a good solvent to a poor solvent.
- The good solvent promoted stretched polymer conformations for network homogenization.
Main Results:
- The developed exogels exhibited remarkable stiffness, toughness, and antiswelling properties.
- Enhanced underwater adhesive performance was achieved.
- The solvent-exchange method allowed for precise control over polymer conformation and network formation.
Conclusions:
- The solvent-exchange strategy offers a facile yet highly effective route to enhanced hydrogels.
- This method enables the rational design of hydrogel-based soft materials with improved properties.
- Exogels show significant potential for applications requiring robust and water-resistant hydrogels.
Keywords:
antiswelling hydrogelsconformationnoncovalent interactionssolvent exchangeunderwater adhesionMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:17Ion Exchange
895
Ion exchange chromatography separates charged molecules from a solution by reversibly exchanging them with mobile, or 'active', ions associated with the oppositely charged stationary phase. This method can be used to separate ions, soften and deionize water, and purify solutions. The polymers comprising the ion-exchange column are high-molecular-weight and chemically stable polymers, crosslinked to be porous and essentially insoluble. They are also functionalized with either acidic or...
895
03:13Intermolecular Forces
67.0K
Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen...
67.0K
02:28Intermolecular Forces in Solutions
37.4K
The formation of a solution is an example of a spontaneous process, a process that occurs under specified conditions without energy from some external source.
When the strengths of the intermolecular forces of attraction between solute and solvent species in a solution are no different than those present in the separated components, the solution is formed with no accompanying energy change. Such a solution is called an ideal solution. A mixture of ideal gases (or gases such as helium and argon,...
When the strengths of the intermolecular forces of attraction between solute and solvent species in a solution are no different than those present in the separated components, the solution is formed with no accompanying energy change. Such a solution is called an ideal solution. A mixture of ideal gases (or gases such as helium and argon,...
37.4K
02:42Aqueous Solutions and Heats of Hydration
16.9K
Water and other polar molecules are attracted to ions. The electrostatic attraction between an ion and a molecule with a dipole is called an ion-dipole attraction. These attractions play an important role in the dissolution of ionic compounds in water.
When ionic compounds dissolve in water, the ions in the solid separate and disperse uniformly throughout the solution because water molecules surround and solvate the ions, reducing the strong electrostatic forces between them. This process...
When ionic compounds dissolve in water, the ions in the solid separate and disperse uniformly throughout the solution because water molecules surround and solvate the ions, reducing the strong electrostatic forces between them. This process...
16.9K