Synthesis and Characterization of Stiff, Self-Crosslinked Thermoresponsive DMAA Hydrogels.

Stiff thermosensitive hydrogels (HG) were synthesized by self-crosslinking free radical polymerization of -dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), adjusting the degree of swelling by carboxylate-containing sodium acrylate (NaAc) or a 2-oxazoline macromonomer (MM). The formation of hydrogels was possible due to the self-crosslinking property of DMAA when polymerized with peroxodisulfate initiator type. The MM was synthetized by the ring-opening cationic polymerization of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline (MeOxa) and methyl-3-(oxazol-2-yl)-propionate (EsterOxa), and contained a polymerizable styryl endgroup.

Facile approach to grafting of poly(2-oxazoline) brushes on macroscopic surfaces and applications thereof.

This study reports on a facile and versatile approach for modification of macroscopic surface via grafting of multifunctional poly(2-oxazoline) molecules in brush-like conformation. For this purpose, carboxyl-terminated poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) molecules have been synthesized by ring-opening cationic polymerization and subsequently grafted on underlined substrates by exploiting the "grafting to" approach. A systematic variation in thickness of the grafted poly (2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) brushes has been demonstrated.