Tensile Mechanical Properties of Hydrophobic Association Hydrogels: Effect of Crosslinking Method, Synthesis Temperature, Mineral Salt and Swelling

Abstract

Hydrophobic association hydrogels (HA-gels) were prepared through micellar copolymerization of acrylamide (AM) and a small amount of octylphenol polyoxyethylene acrylate (OP-10-AC) in an aqueous solution containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). For the P(AM/OP-10-AC) HA-gels, the effect of crosslinking method, synthesis temperature, mineral salt (NaCl) and swelling on their tensile mechanical properties was investigated in detail. The experimental results show that crosslinking method, synthesis temperature, NaCl and swelling powerfully influenced tensile mechanical properties of the P(AM/OP-10-AC) HA-gels. In addition, according to the tensile experimental results of the P(AM/OP-10-AC) HA-gels swollen, an effective crosslinking density change model is proposed. The effect of swelling on tensile mechanical properties of the P(AM/OP-10-AC) HA-gels was discussed on the basis of the model.

Keywords:

• hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide
• micellar copolymerization
• hydrogel
• tensile mechanical properties