Lu Kai, Lan Xiaohong, Folkersma Rudy, Voet Vincent S D, Loos Katja
Macromolecular Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 3, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
Circular Plastics, Academy Technology & Innovation, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Van Schaikweg 94, 7811 KL Emmen, The Netherlands.
Biomacromolecules. 2024 Dec 9;25(12):8026-8037. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c01287. Epub 2024 Nov 25.
The biocompatibility and renewability of starch-based hydrogels have made them popular for applications across various sectors. Their tendency to incur damage after repeated use limits their effectiveness in practical applications. Improving the mechanical properties and self-healing of hydrogels simultaneously remains a challenge. This study introduces a new self-healing hydrogel, synthesized by grafting acrylamide onto starch using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as an initiator, followed by borax cross-linking. We systematically examined how the starch-to-monomer ratio, borax concentration, and CAN concentration impact the grafting reactions and overall performance of the hydrogels. The addition of borax significantly reinforced the strength of the hydrogel; the maximum storage modulus increased by 1.8 times. Thanks to dynamic borate ester and hydrogen bonding, the hydrogel demonstrated remarkable recovery properties and responsiveness to temperature. We expect that the present research could broaden the application of starch-based hydrogels in agriculture, sensors, and wastewater treatment.
淀粉基水凝胶的生物相容性和可再生性使其在各个领域的应用中备受青睐。然而，它们在反复使用后容易受损，这限制了它们在实际应用中的有效性。同时提高水凝胶的机械性能和自愈能力仍然是一个挑战。本研究介绍了一种新型自愈水凝胶，该水凝胶通过以硝酸铈铵（CAN）为引发剂将丙烯酰胺接枝到淀粉上，然后进行硼砂交联合成。我们系统地研究了淀粉与单体的比例、硼砂浓度和CAN浓度如何影响接枝反应和水凝胶的整体性能。硼砂的加入显著增强了水凝胶的强度；最大储能模量增加了1.8倍。由于动态硼酸酯和氢键的作用，该水凝胶表现出显著的恢复性能和对温度的响应性。我们期望本研究能够拓宽淀粉基水凝胶在农业、传感器和废水处理等方面的应用。
