Non-NIPAM based core-shell microgels with enhanced corset effect: Understanding and tuning of the volume phase transition

该项目旨在合成基于非n-异丙基丙烯酰胺的具有核壳结构的智能微凝胶，并建立这种颗粒的结构性质关系。该颗粒将由n-异丙基甲基丙烯酰胺（NIPMAM）和n-正丙基丙烯酰胺（NNPAM）合成，由于两种单体的体积相变温度差异较大，从而产生意想不到的新性能。在初步工作中，发现这类颗粒在膨胀曲线中表现出很大的线性域。这种影响仍有待充分利用和理解，这是本项目的主要目标。可以推测，壳中交联剂含量的变化会产生不同的膨胀曲线，从而在膨胀过程中产生不同的中间形态。我们将使用小角散射技术（主要是中子）来研究这些系统，以了解与这些系统在局部尺度上膨胀相关的结构变化。为了进行数据分析，将进行广泛的建模，包括直接或反向蒙特卡罗模拟。此外，还将利用AFM技术研究线性膨胀域，以研究这些粒子可以产生的力。

The project at hand aims at the synthesis of non-N-isopropylacrylamide based smart microgels with core-shell architecture and at establishing structure property relationships for this kind of particles. The particles will be synthesized from N-isopropylmethacrylamide (NIPMAM) and N-n-propylacrylamide (NNPAM), which leads to unexpected new properties due to the large difference of the volume phase transition temperature of the two monomers. In preliminary work such particles were found to exhibit a large linear domain in the swelling curve. This effect still remains to be fully exploited and understood which is the major objective of the present project. It can be presumed that changes of the crosslinker content of the shell will produce different swelling curves and thus different intermediate morphologies during swelling. We will study these systems using small angle scattering techniques (mainly with neutrons) to understand the structural changes related to the swelling of these systems on a local scale. For the purpose of data analysis extensive modeling including direct or reverse Monte-Carlo simulations will be performed. Moreover, the domain of linear swelling will be studied by means of AFM techniques to study the force which can be produced by these particles.