PH-Sensitive graphene oxide/sodium alginate/polyacrylamide nanocomposite semi-IPN hydrogel with improved mechanical strength. Issue 108 (20th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Huijuan; Pang, Xianjuan; Qi, Yuan
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 5:Issue 108(2015)
• Page Start: 89083
• Page End: 89091
• Publication Date: 2015-10-20
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ra19637j
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : A pH-sensitive and mechanically strong graphene oxide/sodium alginate/polyacrylamide nanocomposite semi-IPN hydrogel was designed and prepared. The composite semi-IPN hydrogel showed superior mechanical strength and pH-dependent swelling behavior. Abstract : It is important and challenging to design a hydrogel that combines mechanical strength and stimuli responsiveness. In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was incorporated into the sodium alginate/polyacrylamide (SA/PAM) hydrogel as the reinforcement to promote the mechanical strength of the hydrogel. The hydrogel was prepared via in situ free-radical polymerization in the presence of SA with AM as the monomer and GO as the reinforcement, resulting in a GO/SA/PAM semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN). SA, cross-linking agent ( N, N ′-methylenebisacrylamide, BIS) and GO proportions were optimized to obtain a hydrogel with superior compressive strength. The GO18 /SA0.1 /PAM/BIS0.01 nanocomposite hydrogel (GO 18 mg, SA 0.1 g, BIS 0.01 g) displayed a compressive strength as high as 65.6 MPa at the compressive deformation of 80%. The hydrogel exhibited pH dependent swelling behavior and a maximum swelling ratio could be observed at pH 4 for the hydrogels with varied GO content. Moreover, the swelling behaviors of the semi-IPN hydrogels are dependent on the GO amounts, and the GO18 /SA0.1 /PAM/BIS0.01 hydrogel sample shows a lower swelling ratio due to its robust inner structures.