Nanostructural Evolution and Self-Healing Mechanism of Micellar Hydrogels

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b00156
• Publication Date: 2016-02-29T18:17:55Z
• Authors: Volkan Can; Zdravko Kochovski; Valentin Reiter; Nikolai Severin; Miriam Siebenbürger; Ben Kent; Justus Just; Jürgen P. Rabe; Matthias Ballauff; Oguz Okay
• Keywords: Hydrodynamic radius; Sodium dodecyl sulfate

Understanding the nanoscale structure and dynamics of supramolecular hydrogels is essential for exploiting their self-healing mechanisms. We describe here nanostructural evolution mechanism formed from in situ generated hydrophobically modified hydrophilic polymers wormlike sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles. observe a conformational transition SDS micelles upon addition hydrophobic as well monomers. Several hundred nanometer long completely disappear after monomer addition, favor spherical with radius 2.4 nm. After conversion monomers to polymer chains via micellar copolymerization, shape remains intact but increases 2.8 The interconnected mixed consisting blocks self-assemble form layered hydrogel structure. Self-healing response damaged samples begins by reshaping injured area into circular holes ends complete healing due intra- interlayer mobility micelles, respectively.