SMALL ANGLE X-RAY SCATTERING OF INTERPENETRATING NETWORK HYDROGELS

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 水凝胶是亲水性聚合物链的网络，并且可以包含超过90%wt.水大多数水凝胶材料由于其高水含量而非常脆弱。我们的研究小组已经开发出一种水凝胶材料，其具有高含水量（70-90%wt），和高抗拉强度。我们的材料由聚（乙二醇）网络与聚（丙烯酸）的交联网络互穿组成。在形成这种互穿聚合物网络时，与每种聚合物的单一网络相比，拉伸模量和断裂应力增加了一个数量级。我们感兴趣的是使用SAXS测量来探测我们的互穿聚合物网络的结构。这些测量将为我们提供关于所观察到的机械强度增加的性质以及聚合物网络网孔尺寸的有价值的信息。这种结构数据可以直接与我们的实验观察到的机械和运输性能。对负责这些IPN水凝胶的增强强度的机制的理解将提供关于如何合成高强度合成软组织替代物的见解。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Hydrogels are networks of hydrophilic polymer chains and can contain over 90% wt. water. Most hydrogel materials are very weak due to their high water contents. Our research group has developed a hydrogel material with both high water content (70-90%wt.) and high tensile strength. Our material consists of a poly(ethylene glycol) network interpenetrated with a crosslinked network of poly(acrylic acid). Upon formation of this interpenetrating polymer network, tensile modulus and stress at fracture increase by an order of magnitude compared to single networks of each polymer. We are interesting in using SAXS measurements to probe the structure of our interpenetrating polymer networks. These measurements will give us valuable information regarding the nature of the observed increase in mechanical strength as well as the polymer network mesh size. This structural data can be related directly to our experimentally observed mechanical and transport properties. An understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the enhanced strength of these IPN hydrogels will provide insights on how to synthesize high strength synthetic soft tissue replacements.