Synthesis and characterization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate/acrylamide responsive hydrogels

Abstract Hydrogels based on an aqueous solution of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and acrylamide (AM) in the presence of trithioglycolic acid (TTGA) were prepared under the effect of gamma irradiation. These hydrogels were characterized by IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis and investigated for temperature‐ and pH‐responsive materials. It was found that TTGA is essential for the formation of HEMA/AM hydrogels at different compositions, in which the gel fraction depends on composition. A binary mixture of HEMA and AM at equal ratios was the critical composition that forms hydrogels, even in the presence of TTGA. The IR spectroscopic analysis showed that the formation of hydrogels depends on hydrogen bonding and crosslinking. The TGA investigations with respect to mass loss and the temperatures of the maximum value of the rate of reaction showed that HEMA/AM hydrogels possess higher thermal stability than that of pure HEMA and this stability increases with increasing ratio of the AM component. Also, it was observed that the temperature of the maximum value of the rate of thermal decomposition reaction depends on hydrogel composition. However, calculations of the activation energy showed that the hydrogel composed of 90% HEMA and 10% AM exhibits the highest thermal stability during the increasing or decreasing rate of reaction. Kinetic studies of swelling in water showed that HEMA/AM hydrogels displayed a temperature‐responsive character within the temperature range 25–30°C, and showed a stepwise swelling behavior in the pH range 2–10, depending on composition. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 1105–1115, 2005