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Updated: May 15, 2026

Combining Microfluidics and Microrheology to Determine Rheological Properties of Soft Matter during Repeated Phase Transitions
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Dynamically Hydrogen-Bonded Microphase Separation Enabling Phase Transition in the Gel Composites With Tunable UCST.

Yi Hui Zhao1,2, Di Jia1,2

  • 1Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|May 14, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a tunable polyacrylamide-tannic acid hydrogel with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) phase transition. This smart gel material offers new strategies for tunable phase transition temperatures in responsive materials.

Keywords:
UCSTcollective diffusionconformational changegel compositemicrophase separationself‐diffusion

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Thermal Scanning Conductometry (TSC) as a General Method for Studying and Controlling the Phase Behavior of Conductive Physical Gels

Published on: January 23, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Thermal-responsive hydrogels are widely used but tuning their phase transition temperature, especially for UCST-type hydrogels, remains challenging.
  • Existing hydrogels often lack the tunability required for specific applications, necessitating novel material designs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and characterize a novel polyacrylamide (PAm)-tannic acid (TA) composite hydrogel exhibiting a tunable UCST-type phase transition.
  • To elucidate the physical mechanisms governing the phase transition behavior and microstructure evolution.
  • To explore potential applications in smart devices through tunable phase transition properties.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of polyacrylamide-tannic acid composite hydrogels.
  • Characterization of phase transition behavior and tunability of the Upper Critical Solution Temperature (UCST).
  • Investigation of microstructures and dynamics using Very Small Angle Neutron Scattering (VSANS), dynamic light scattering, and pulsed-field-gradient NMR.
  • Analysis of viscoelastic properties and their correlation with microstructural changes.

Main Results:

  • The PAm-TA hydrogel demonstrated a tunable UCST-type phase transition over a wide range.
  • Microphase separation driven by reversible hydrogen bonding between TA and PAm was identified as the key mechanism.
  • Dynamical studies revealed increased TA diffusion and accelerated relaxation dynamics at higher temperatures due to weakened hydrogen bonding.
  • A programmable information encryption/decryption device was successfully designed using the tunable UCST property.

Conclusions:

  • The PAm-TA hydrogel offers a new platform for designing smart materials with precisely controlled phase transition temperatures.
  • The findings provide insights into the interplay between hydrogen bonding, microstructure, and macroscopic properties in responsive hydrogels.
  • This work opens avenues for applications in optical devices, environmental sensors, and information storage.