Fine-tuning the architecture of microgels by varying the initiator addition time.

IF 2.9 3区 化学 Q3 CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL
Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-03 DOI:10.1039/d4sm01200c
Elena Buratti, Fabrizio Camerin, Valentina Nigro, Silvia Franco, José Ruiz-Franco, Lionel Porcar, Roberta Angelini, Barbara Ruzicka, Yuri Gerelli, Emanuela Zaccarelli
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) microgels are versatile colloidal-scale polymer networks that exhibit unique responsiveness to external stimuli, such as temperature. While the synthesis of PNIPAM microgels is well-documented, there is limited exploration of how their structural properties can be modified by subtle changes in the polymerization process. In this work, we carefully investigate how varying the time of addition of a common initiator, such as potassium persulfate, during the polymerization process allows a precise control over microgel architecture. Our findings, based on a combination of numerical simulations, scattering, and rheology experiments, reveal that delayed initiator addition results in a more heterogeneous network, characterized by a less extended corona. In contrast, more homogeneous microgels are obtained by adding the initiator all at the start of the synthesis. In this way, the internal mass distribution of the particles can be tuned, highlighting the importance of synthesis timing for optimizing microgel conformation and functionality in tailored applications.

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来源期刊
Soft Matter
Soft Matter 工程技术-材料科学:综合
CiteScore
6.00
自引率
5.90%
发文量
891
审稿时长
1.9 months
期刊介绍: Soft Matter is an international journal published by the Royal Society of Chemistry using Engineering-Materials Science: A Synthesis as its research focus. It publishes original research articles, review articles, and synthesis articles related to this field, reporting the latest discoveries in the relevant theoretical, practical, and applied disciplines in a timely manner, and aims to promote the rapid exchange of scientific information in this subject area. The journal is an open access journal. The journal is an open access journal and has not been placed on the alert list in the last three years.
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