We report the application of the "internal trigger" approach to multistep microfluidic polymerization reactions conducted in droplets, namely, polyaddition and polycondensation. We hypothesized and experimentally established that heat generated in an exothermic free radical polymerization of an acrylate monomer (Reaction 1) triggers the polycondensation of the urethane oligomer (Reaction 2). Co...

Tissues in the body are hierarchically structured composite materials with tissue-specific chemical and topographical properties. Here we report the preparation of tissue scaffolds with macroscopic pores generated via the dissolution of a sacrificial supramolecular polymer-based crystal template (urea) from a biodegradable polymer-based scaffold (polycaprolactone, PCL). Furthermore, we report a...

Front Cover: In article number 2300006, Nermin Orakdogen and co-workers deal with temperature-optimized synthesis of N-(alkyl)acrylamide-based semi-interpenetrating polymer network reinforced silica nanoparticles functionalized methacrylic acid units by varying the polymerization temperature. The gelation is performed at different temperatures to evaluate formation mechanism. mechanical propert...

A method for improving adhesion between polymer films on Si substrates is described involving mechanical interlocking. Isotropic reactive ion etching (RIE) is applied to form pits in the Si substrate which fill upon application of a polymer via spinning. After curing, interpenetrating polymer lobes form a robust bond with the Si substrate. Adhesion improvements over films on smooth substrates a...

In the present work, a novel interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel composed of crosslinked chitosan and poly(acryl acid) was prepared by crosslinking using glutaraldehyde. The model drug, cis-platin, was loaded into the resulted IPN hydrogel. Water absorption of the hydrogel could be switched on and off swiftly by control of pH of the surrounding environment. Therefore, the synthesize...