A surface-grafted hydrogel demonstrating thermoresponsive adhesive strength change
Aya M Akimoto1, Yuji Ohta2, Yuki Koizumi1
1Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. akimoto@cross.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
Soft Matter
|April 26, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a surface-grafted hydrogel with temperature-dependent properties. The hydrogel
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Surface Science
Background:
- Hydrogels are versatile polymeric networks with diverse applications.
- Controlling hydrogel surface properties is crucial for advanced material design.
- Thermoresponsive materials offer tunable characteristics based on temperature changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and characterize a novel surface-grafted hydrogel (SG gel) with thermoresponsive surface properties.
- To investigate the temperature-dependent adhesive strength of the SG gel.
- To explore the utility of hydrophobic interactions in thermoresponsive adhesion.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of surface-grafted hydrogels (SG gels).
- Development of a custom device for quantitative adhesive strength measurements.
- Evaluation of adhesive strength between the SG gel and a Bakelite plate at varying temperatures.
Main Results:
- The designed SG gel demonstrated significant thermoresponsive changes in its surface properties.
- Adhesive strength between the SG gel and Bakelite exhibited a notable temperature-dependent variation.
- Hydrophobic interactions were identified as the key mechanism driving the observed thermoresponsive adhesion.
Conclusions:
- Surface-grafted hydrogels can be engineered for tunable thermoresponsive adhesion.
- The SG gel presents a promising material for applications requiring temperature-controlled surface interactions.
- Quantitative measurement of adhesion is vital for understanding thermoresponsive material behavior.
