The network structure of polymer gels to induce rapid thermoresponse was designed by post-crosslinking of controlled ABA triblock polymers with hydrophilic and thermoresponsive blocks. The triblock prepolymer was prepared by RAFT polymerization of hydrophilic N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAAm) and the monomer carrying activated ester as a reactive site with bifunctional macro-RAFT agent of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). Then, gelation was performed by post-crosslinking reaction of the triblock polymers by diamine crosslinkers. The obtained gel showed rapid shrinking against temperature change compared to conventional copolymer gels prepared by random copolymerization of DMAAm and NIPAAm in the presence of divinyl compound. This rapid shrinking property of the triblock polymer gels is probably due to hydrophilic blocks in the network working as water pathway through which the dehydrated water effectively spilled out from the inside of the gel during shrinking. 

Rapid thermoresponse of post-crosslinked triblock polymer gels with hydrophilic blocks

248th National Meeting (2014)

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