title: Fast deswelling kinetics of nanostructured poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) photopolymerized in a lyotropic liquid crystal template.
abstract: The thermal-response and mechanical properties of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) are improved by controlling the polymer nanostructure through photopolymerization in a bicontinuous cubic lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) template. The bicontinuous cubic nanostructure increases the rate and amount of water expelled from PNIPAm for heating above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) relative to an isotropic PNIPAm hydrogel while maintaining the mechanical integrity of the polymer. These results could allow development of PNIPAm hydrogels with proper water uptake, deswelling kinetics, volume transition, and mechanical properties required for successful performance in a growing number of advanced biological and industrial applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of Iowa, 4133 Seamans Center, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Forney
authors.forename: C Allan
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Guymon
mesh_terms: D000178:Acrylamides / Q000737:chemistry*; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D007700:Kinetics; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D058105:Polymerization / Q000528:radiation effects; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D011108:Polymers; C052970:poly-N-isopropylacrylamide