A series of poly(sodium acrylate)
gels was synthesized via end-linking
reaction between tetra-arm poly(tert-butyl acrylate)s
by copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition followed by
deprotection of tert-butyl group and neutralization.
Characterization of the gels using gravimetry, IR measurement, and
stretching test revealed that they have only small amounts of sol
fractions, dangling chains, and trapped entanglements. The relationship
between polymer weight fraction (ϕe) and shear modulus
(G′) at equilibrium swelling in saline was
expressed as G′ ∝ ϕe
2.5. The power index (2.5) was comparable with the theoretical
value for nonionic gels swollen in good solvents (2.3). The relationship
between G′ and ϕe was superior
to that of poly(sodium acrylate) gels synthesized by conventional
radical copolymerization. The difference may be partly attributed
to the difference in the ratio of chemical cross-links to trapped
entanglements.
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