Swelling and Dissolution Behaviors of Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels

POSTER

Abstract

We discuss the equilibrium behavior of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) hydrogels and demonstrate microstructural rearrangements through controlled swelling and mixing experiments. PEC hydrogels are an intriguing type of physical hydrogel that self-assemble from oppositely charged block polyelectrolytes (bPEs) and form hierarchical microstructures that are responsible for both the tunable shear moduli and swelling and disintegration behavior of PEC hydrogels. Recently, we demonstrated experimentally that these microstructures represent equilibrium structures and are not kinetically frozen. In this poster, we relate the observed microstructural rearrangements of PEC hydrogels to their swelling and disintegration behavior to better understand the mechanism of microstructural rearrangement. Our understanding of this equilibrium behavior will contribute to increased control over PEC hydrogel tunability, thereby expanding the breadth of future applications for PEC hydrogels.

*This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant no. DMR-2048285.

Presenters

  • Holly Senebandith

    • University of California, Los Angeles

Authors

  • Holly Senebandith

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Fahed Albreiki

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Phillip Kohl

    • University of California, Santa Barbara

  • Arthur Odenheimer

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Khin C Pyone

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Maanasi D Narayan

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Marlo O Taylor

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Youli Li

    • University of California, Santa Barbara

  • Samanvaya Srivastava

    • University of California, Los Angeles
    • UCLA
    • UCLA Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering