Branched copolymer surfactants impart thermoreversible gelation to Laponite gels
Branched copolymer surfactants impart thermoreversible gelation to Laponite gels
This investigation seeks to integrate Laponite clay gels with thermoresponsive branched copolymer surfactants (BCSs) to develop advanced functional materials with temperature-induced sol-gel behaviour. It is known that a diverse range of molecules adsorb strongly to clays which may be used to control liberation of the species in healthcare applications, and as such the development of polymer/clay hybrid materials which can add function to the native clay behaviour are of great interest. BCS were synthesised with a structure that encompasses poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and dodecanethiol (DDT), conferring versatile and tuneable thermoresponsive attributes. Systematic modulation of the monomer:DDT/initiator ratio was used to facilitate the synthesis of BCS architectures spanning a range of molecular weights Through application of small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheology and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) in conjunction with controlled temperature variations, the sol-gel transition dynamics of these nanocomposite materials were elucidated. Complementary insights into the mechanisms underpinning this transition and temperature-induced alterations in the constituents are gleaned through the utilization of SANS techniques employing contrast-matching methodologies to mitigate clay and polymer scattering interference. It is found that heating systems from room- to body- temperature induces self-assembly of BCS in the bulk aqueous phase with concurrent structuration of clay in gel-forming samples with lower number average molecular weight (Mn). SANS study unpicks this phenomenon to find that gelation occurs with concurrent aggregation of BCS in the bulk, inducing clay-clay interactions only in lower Mn BCS systems with large nanoaggregates.
smart materials, stimuli-responsive, temperature-responsive, thermoresponsive, hydrogels
103-114
Rajbanshi, Abhishek
679b7259-a3d7-4b08-b6fd-c62e7e87af03
Alves Da Silva, Marcelo
089bc779-2ac2-47f2-93a4-a3b8bb23a4e5
Mahmoudi, Najet
d8cd4760-bc8b-4db3-a94b-fff6b34b4cde
Janeczek, Agnieszka
56258fdc-f798-44ac-8bb4-886935283ffc
Dawson, Jonathan
b220fe76-498d-47be-9995-92da6c289cf3
Cook, Michael Thomas
75e5e1f9-1e81-4c0f-9acc-320354964a0c
Rajbanshi, Abhishek
679b7259-a3d7-4b08-b6fd-c62e7e87af03
Alves Da Silva, Marcelo
089bc779-2ac2-47f2-93a4-a3b8bb23a4e5
Mahmoudi, Najet
d8cd4760-bc8b-4db3-a94b-fff6b34b4cde
Janeczek, Agnieszka
56258fdc-f798-44ac-8bb4-886935283ffc
Dawson, Jonathan
b220fe76-498d-47be-9995-92da6c289cf3
Cook, Michael Thomas
75e5e1f9-1e81-4c0f-9acc-320354964a0c
Rajbanshi, Abhishek, Alves Da Silva, Marcelo, Mahmoudi, Najet, Janeczek, Agnieszka, Shaw, Allison, Dawson, Jonathan and Cook, Michael Thomas
(2023)
Branched copolymer surfactants impart thermoreversible gelation to Laponite gels.
Soft Matter, 20 (1), .
(doi:10.1039/D3SM01271A).
Abstract
This investigation seeks to integrate Laponite clay gels with thermoresponsive branched copolymer surfactants (BCSs) to develop advanced functional materials with temperature-induced sol-gel behaviour. It is known that a diverse range of molecules adsorb strongly to clays which may be used to control liberation of the species in healthcare applications, and as such the development of polymer/clay hybrid materials which can add function to the native clay behaviour are of great interest. BCS were synthesised with a structure that encompasses poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and dodecanethiol (DDT), conferring versatile and tuneable thermoresponsive attributes. Systematic modulation of the monomer:DDT/initiator ratio was used to facilitate the synthesis of BCS architectures spanning a range of molecular weights Through application of small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheology and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) in conjunction with controlled temperature variations, the sol-gel transition dynamics of these nanocomposite materials were elucidated. Complementary insights into the mechanisms underpinning this transition and temperature-induced alterations in the constituents are gleaned through the utilization of SANS techniques employing contrast-matching methodologies to mitigate clay and polymer scattering interference. It is found that heating systems from room- to body- temperature induces self-assembly of BCS in the bulk aqueous phase with concurrent structuration of clay in gel-forming samples with lower number average molecular weight (Mn). SANS study unpicks this phenomenon to find that gelation occurs with concurrent aggregation of BCS in the bulk, inducing clay-clay interactions only in lower Mn BCS systems with large nanoaggregates.
Text
Branched copolymer surfactants impart thermoreversible gelation to Laponite gels
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
Rajbanshi_BCSClay_submission_unmarked
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 26 November 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 28 November 2023
Keywords:
smart materials, stimuli-responsive, temperature-responsive, thermoresponsive, hydrogels
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 500293
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/500293
ISSN: 1744-683X
PURE UUID: 39149bfc-5f93-4ce3-b111-fdc11e1fd45d
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 23 Apr 2025 16:58
Last modified: 24 Apr 2025 01:41
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Abhishek Rajbanshi
Author:
Marcelo Alves Da Silva
Author:
Najet Mahmoudi
Author:
Agnieszka Janeczek
Author:
Allison Shaw
Author:
Michael Thomas Cook
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
