Smart polymer composites and fluids are attractive for many applications by exhibiting tunable mechanical properties. The applications can range from biological and drug delivery to sensors and coatings. Stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte materials can exhibit tunable mechanical properties and flow behaviors by changing temperature, pH, or other external stimuli. For this work, poly((dimethylamino methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) has been selected to understand how the manipulation of changing pH and temperature has on shear rheology. The dynamics of thermoresponsive behaviors were induced through a hydrophilic-hydrophobic change observed at pH&gt;9. The lower critical solution temperature of PDMAEMA was ~35 °C. The strain, frequency, and temperature sweeps of these solutions explored the changes from a viscous fluid to a physically associating gel as a function of pH and temperature. The effects of PDMAEMA molecular weight and adding carbon nanotubes (CNT) to PDMAEMA solutions can also change the viscoelasticity of these smart systems. Furthermore, the relationships of rheology to processing were explored using electrospinning to create PDMAEMA-CNT fibers.

Tuning viscoelasticity of multi-stimuli responsive polyelectrolytes and composites

Where thousands of chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Spring 2023 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch at the end of March.

ACS Spring 2023

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.