TY - JOUR
TI - Thermoresponsive hydrogels obtained by gamma radiation: Poly(alkylene glycol) methacrylates vs. poly(n-isopropylacrylamide)
AU - Mladenović Anita S
AU - Stanić Zorka D
AU - Krstić Maja M
AU - Rogić-Miladinović Zorana Z
AU - Suljovrujić Edin H
JN - Thermal Science
PY - 2025
VL - 29
IS - 6
SP - 4409
EP - 4420
PT - Article
AB - This study offers a comparative analysis of two most important types of  thermoresponsive hydrogels: poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNiPAM) and  poly(alkylene glycol) methacrylates (PAGMA). The latter includes  poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA), a moderately hydrophilic  polymer, and poly(oligo(propylene glycol) methacrylate) (POPGMA), its more  hydrophobic counterpart. The hydrogels were produced using gamma irradiation  in three different solvent systems: demineralized water, a water/ethanol  mixture, and pure ethanol. Gel fraction measurements were used to assess the  effects of monomer type, irradiation dose, and solvent composition on  crosslinking efficiency. Swelling behavior was examined over a wide  temperature range, highlighting distinct thermoresponsive features and  volume phase transition temperatures (VPTTs). Differential scanning  calorimetry (DSC) confirmed the presence of temperature-dependent phase  transitions, while structural and chemical changes caused by  radiation-induced crosslinking were analyzed using Fourier-transform  infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results showed that effective hydrogel  formation is achievable at relatively low radiation doses. The choice of  synthesis medium significantly influenced the formation and the gelation  efficiency of hydrogels. Particularly, PNiPAM hydrogels were successfully  synthesized without the use of alcohol and still demonstrated excellent  swelling capacity and VPTTs near physiological temperatures, making them  suitable for biomedical applications. These findings provide valuable  insights for designing advanced smart hydrogels for biomedical and  environmental uses.
DO - 10.2298/TSCI250815165M
ER -