|
|
Stimuli Responsive Hydrogels via initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition Chemical modification of polymer materials can be used to synthesize smart hydrogels that respond to one or more stimuli. In details, responsiveness to exposure to humidity or aqueous environment, light irradiation and the pH-value is used to tune the mechanical and electrical properties and the degree of swelling within thin hydrogel films. Synthesizing hydrogels or modifying their surface with solution-based methods is often problematic due to swelling of the solvent in the hydrogel. This issue is completely circumvented by the use of a novel and solvent-free technique, named initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD). Smart hydrogels can be utilized in a great variety of applications such as sensors or actuators, in encapsulation of pharmaceutics or for cell cultivation. |