Search

MC-PDGI/PAAm gels are cylindrical composite gels containing poly(dodecyl glyceryl itaconate) (PDGI) as a polymerized lipid oriented in a multilayer tubular shape within a polyacrylamide (PAAm) network. The most unique feature of the MC-PDGI/PAAm gel is its super-anisotropic swelling, wherein the diameter of the gel increases, but the length decreases with an increase in the volume of the gel. Through swelling and small-angle X-ray diffraction experiments, we investigated the effects of PDGI lipid bilayers and polymer network on the swelling of the MC-PDGI/PAAm gel, which suggests that the swelling anisotropy of the MC-PDGI/PAAm gel is dominated by the elasticity of the PDGI bilayers. Furthermore, we investigated the equation of state of the gel that roughly reproduced the experimental swelling results. These findings are crucial for realizing the controlled super-anisotropic swelling of MC-PDGI/PAAm gels and their applications as anisotropic actuation devices.

MC-PDGI/PAAm gels are cylindrical composite gels containing poly(dodecyl glyceryl itaconate) (PDGI) as a polymerized lipid oriented in a multilayer tubular shape within a polyacrylamide (PAAm) network. The most unique feature of the MC-PDGI/PAAm gel is its super-anisotropic swelling, wherein the diameter of the gel increases, but the length decreases with an increase in the volume of the gel. Through swelling and small-angle X-ray diffraction experiments, we investigated the effects of PDGI lipid bilayers and polymer network on the swelling of the MC-PDGI/PAAm gel, which suggests that the swelling anisotropy of the MC-PDGI/PAAm gel is dominated by the elasticity of the PDGI bilayers. Furthermore, we investigated the equation of state of the gel that roughly reproduced the experimental swelling results. These findings are crucial for realizing the controlled super-anisotropic swelling of MC-PDGI/PAAm gels and their applications as anisotropic actuation devices.

Polyelectrolyte gels exhibit intrinsic salt-sensitive swelling behaviour, which causes size instability in ionic environments. Thus, polyelectrolyte gels that show salt-insensitive swelling have been anticipated for applications in ionic environments, such as medical materials usedin vivo. We found that double-network (DN) gels consisting of both a polyelectrolyte network and a non-ionic network are resistant to salt-sensitive swelling. This resistance is attributed to their lower osmotic pressure originating from mobile ions relative to the osmotic pressure of mixing at swelling equilibrium. Our investigation indicated that the two contrasting network structures within the DN gels are vital for achieving these properties, where the structures include a highly prestretched and sparse polyelectrolyte network and a coiled and dense non-ionic network. The salt-insensitivity of the DN gels will lead to their unique applications in ionic environments.

Polyelectrolyte gels exhibit intrinsic salt-sensitive swelling behaviour, which causes size instability in ionic environments. Thus, polyelectrolyte gels that show salt-insensitive swelling have been anticipated for applications in ionic environments, such as medical materials usedin vivo. We found that double-network (DN) gels consisting of both a polyelectrolyte network and a non-ionic network are resistant to salt-sensitive swelling. This resistance is attributed to their lower osmotic pressure originating from mobile ions relative to the osmotic pressure of mixing at swelling equilibrium. Our investigation indicated that the two contrasting network structures within the DN gels are vital for achieving these properties, where the structures include a highly prestretched and sparse polyelectrolyte network and a coiled and dense non-ionic network. The salt-insensitivity of the DN gels will lead to their unique applications in ionic environments.