We have performed small angle neutron scattering measurements (SANS) on dilute aqueous dispersions of polymer microgel particles as a function of temperature, T . The microgel particles are spherical crosslinked assemblies of a loose gel network of a poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) polymer. When the temperature is raised beyond a critical temperature, T(lc) approximately 32 degrees C , the p...

In this paper we have concentrated on the characterization of calcium alginate hydrogels loaded with a model drug (myoglobin) by means of a mechanical approach; in addition, release tests of myoglobin from alginate hydrogels were performed. At a fixed temperature, relaxation tests (mechanical study) were carried out on matrices constituted by different polymer concentrations. The interpretation...

The objective of this work is to investigate the thermodynamic and scattering behavior of tetra-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) gels. Complementary measurements, including osmotic swelling pressure, elastic modulus, and small angle neutron scattering (SANS), are reported for a series of tetra-PEG gels made from different molecular weight precursor chains at different concentrations. Analysis of the...

Oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) represents a novel CVD method for producing polymer thin films in a one step polymerization and deposition process. Using oCVD, we can synthesize polymers without any need for solvents. Here, we have utilized oCVD to create conjugated thiophene polymers directly within the complex structure of carbon nanofiber-based electrochemical supercapacitor elect...

A remarkable manifestation of slow dynamics in dense polymeric systems is that their viscosity scales with their molecular weight as a power-law, with the “viscosity exponent” mη, experimentally measured to be 3.4 ± 0.2. Following De Gennes’ work in 1971, current understanding of this slow dynamics is based upon an effective single-polymer theory that pictures every polymer in such systems movi...

Common dispersion methods such as ultrasonic sonication, planetary centrifugal mixing and magnetic dispersion have been used extensively to achieve moderate exfoliation of nanoparticles in polymer matrix. In this study, the effect of adding three roll milling to these three dispersion methods for nanoclay dispersion into epoxy matrix was investigated. A combination of each of these mixing metho...

We have fabricated new types of polymer hydrogels and polymer nanocomposites, that is, nanocomposite gels (NC gels) and soft polymer nanocomposites (M-NCs), with novel organic/inorganic network structures. Both NC gels and M-NCs were synthesized by in situ free-radical polymerization in the presence of exfoliated clay platelets in aqueous systems and were obtained in various forms and sizes wit...

The structure and material properties of polymer networks can depend sensitively on changes in the environment. There is a great deal of progress in the development of stimuli-responsive hydrogels for applications like sensors, self-repairing materials or actuators. Biocompatible, smart hydrogels can be used for applications, such as controlled drug delivery and release, or for artificial muscl...

A microscopic model of a surface polymer network membrane system is introduced, with contact polymer surface interactions that can be either repulsive or attractive and sliplinks of functionality four randomly distributed over the supporting membrane surface anchoring the polymers to it. For the supporting surface perturbed from a planar configuration and a small relative number of surface slip...

Create three-dimensional network of siloxane polymer in the epoxy resin is an appropriate mechanical properties .Dispersion of nanoclay in these coating was prepared by ultrasonication method. Mechanical properties of nanocomposit coatings such as abrasion, hardness and adhesion was increased by addition of nanoclay montmorillonite. Different percentages of nanoclay in coating showed that even ...