Swelling behavior of macroporous polymer networks

C.G. GOMEZ; G. PASTRANA; D. SERRANO; E. ZUZEK; M.A. VILLAR; M.C. STRUMIA

Granada

Congreso; European Polymer Congress (EPF 2011); 2011

European Polymer Federation

Macroporous polymer beads containing a permanent well-developed porous structure in dry state have a wide range of applications such as catalyst, immobilization of enzymes, HPLC supports, liberation of active substances, adsorbents, among others. Their porous structure facilitates the diffusion of different solutes through the polymeric network. Since these networks have particular properties such as a high crosslinking degree and a rigid structure in both swollen and dry state, the study of their synthesis is therefore of considerable interest. The influence of crosslinking agent content and stirring speed on the structure of the polymer network obtained for the system 2-hydroxyethyl metacrylate (HEMA) and ethylene glycol dimetacryclate (EGDMA) by suspension polymerize-tion was studied. The matrix pore system and its crosslinking degree were evaluated, principally, from their swelling in water. Characteristics parameters of the porous network were also obtained from a simple mathematical model. The kinetics of water evaporation from swollen networks and the mathematical model proposed were used to describe the morphology of macroporous polymer networks. Water distribution into the network was used to determine parameters of interest such as porosity and volume increase of both pore and network. Results shown that samples with higher degree of crosslinking have stable pore architecture.