Evidence of nanocomposite formation during in situ polymerization of aniline inside nanoporous polymeric hydrogels

M.A. MOLINA; C. R. RIVAROLA; M. V. MARTINEZ; S. BONGIOVANNI ABEL; M.C. MIRAS; S. SUAREZ; C. A. BARBERO

Buenos Aires

Congreso; COMAT 2015; 2015

Smart polymeric hydrogels are nanoporous materials which respond to external stimuli (e.g. temperature) changing their volume. The combination with conducting polymers allows triggering the response of the material using light since the polymer heats up by exposure to light or microwaves and drive the thermal transition of the hydrogels. The usual way to load the nanoporous hydrogel with the conducting polymer is to absorb the monomer and polymerize it inside the hydrogel. It has been usually assumed that the procedure renders a semi interpenetrated network that is a molecular mixture of both polymers. However, morphological (SEM) and physicochemical (DSC) evidence suggests that in-situ polymerization renders a nanocomposite with separated domains of conducting polymer and hydrogel. Moreover, we describe a new method which involves swelling the hydrogel in a true solution of the conducting polymer, followed by solvent exchange to water. The material show different properties compared with the nanocomposite