Appropriate techniques of structural characterization of a model hydrogels system

abstract

English

The main focus of this work was testing the applicability of available structural analysis techniques on an appropriate model hydrogel system and assessing the influence of the composition change of the hydrogel system on its internal structure. Semi-interpenetrating network hydrogels based on combination of agarose and sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) of various concentrations were chosen as a model system. Reference gels of four agarose concentrations were studied (0.5 %; 1.0 %; 2.0 % and 4.0 %) and compared with the gels with fixed concentration of agarose (1 wt. %) interpenetrated by polystyrene sulfonate at various concentrations (0.002 %; 0.005 % and 0.01 %). Swelled (hydrated) forms of the gels are usually used for applications, so it is convenient to examine samples in this state; however, there are not many common and available methods suitable for examining the structure of hydrated samples. Dry samples show artifacts in their structure due to eliminating water, e.g. structure of freeze-dried samples is affected by water freezing and subsequent crystal growth. By optimizing the drying process, this effect can be minimized. For dry (shock-frozen in liquid nitrogen and vacuum freeze-dried) samples, mercury porosimetry as an indirect method and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as a direct method were selected in this study. For native (swelled) samples, turbidimetry as an indirect method and cryo SEM as a direct method were performed.

hydrogel, structural analysis, electron microscopy, mercury porosimetry, turbidimetry

TRUDIČOVÁ, M.; SEDLÁČEK, P.; KRZYŽÁNEK, V.; ADÁMKOVÁ, K.

21. 11. 2019

Vysoké učení technické v Brně, Fakulta chemická

Brno

978-80-214-5807-9

Studentská odborná konference Chemie je život 2019 - Sborník abstraktů

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