Magneto-responsive hydrogels based on maghemite/triblock terpolymer hybrid micelles

Super-porous nanocomposite PNIPAm hydrogels reinforced with titania nanoparticles, displaying a very fast temperature response as well as pH-sensitivity

“…While swollen with water (or dissolved in it), PNIPAm undergoes a volume ''phase'' transition if it is warmed above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST, around 32°C): crosslinked PNIPAm deswells, while the linear polymer precipitates from solution [1][2][3]. The volume transition of PNIPAm can be also triggered by other stimuli like: change in solvent mixture composition [4,5], change of pH [6], electric [7] or magnetic field [8]. The latter three effects are achieved with chemically modified PNIPAm.…”

Thermal sensitivity of carbon nanotube and graphene oxide containing responsive hydrogels

“…Smart hydrogels display a marked response under changes in certain external factors [1,2] such as composition of the solvent mixture [3], pH [4], temperature [5], photons, electric or magnetic fields [6]. Their softness, biocompatibility, excellent swelling properties and ability to deform reversibly, make them desirable as vehicles for controlled drug delivery [7,8], sensors [9] or actuators [10].…”

Fabrication of 1D Fe3O4/P(NIPAM-MBA) thermosensitive nanochains by magnetic-field-induced precipitation polymerization

“…Recently, the integration of magnetic nanoparticles with thermosensitive PNIPAM to obtain high magnetic response of core-shell nanostructures has attracted much interest [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]. Luo et al reported the synthesis of well-defined Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 /PNIPAM microspheres through the encapsulation of silica-coated Fe 3 O 4 with crosslinked PNIPAM shell [23].…”