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Direct visualization of nano and microscale polymer morphologies in as-prepared and dialyzed polyampholyte hydrogels by electron microscopy techniques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2018

Xinda Li ,
Hemant Charaya ,
Thuy Nguyen Thanh Tran ,
Byeongdu Lee ,
Jae-Young Cho  and
Hyun-Joong Chung Open the ORCID record for Hyun-Joong Chung [Opens in a new window]
Xinda Li
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6 G 1H9, Canada
Hemant Charaya
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6 G 1H9, Canada
Thuy Nguyen Thanh Tran
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6 G 1H9, Canada
Byeongdu Lee
Affiliation:
Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
Jae-Young Cho
Affiliation:
National Research Council of Canada (NRC), 11421 Saskatchewan Drive NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6 G 2M9, Canada
Hyun-Joong Chung*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6 G 1H9, Canada
*
Address all correspondence to Hyun-Joong Chung at chung.hj13@ualbrerta.ca
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Abstract

The structure of polymer networks in hydrogels determines the properties. In this study, we investigated the structure of a charge-balanced polyampholyte, poly(4-vinylbenzenesulfonate-co-[3-(methacryloylamino) propyl] trimethylammonium chloride). From as-prepared samples, nanoscale globules were visualized in polyampholyte hydrogels for the first time. The impact of dialyses processes on polymer structures were also studied. In deionized water, salt ions are leached out, thus polymer chains undergo zipping process to form cellular structure with micrometer-thick polymer walls that allow mechanical toughness to the hydrogel. Samples dialyzed in 6 M potassium hydroxide solution did not show such cellular structure, as in the case of as-prepared samples.

Type
Research Letters
Information
MRS Communications , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , September 2018 , pp. 1079 - 1084
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

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