Synthesis and characterization of hydrogels from graft copolymers

Abstract

Well-defined graft copolymers composed of a hydrophilic clyceryl methacrylate backbone and hydrophobic monodisperse molecular weight polystyrene branches were prepared by the macromonomer technique. The swelling behaviour and the oxygen permeability of hydrogels prepared from these graft copolymers were studied. It was found that equilibrium water content of these hydrogels was considerably high and depended on both the graft copolymer structure and the microphase separated structure of the prepared hydrogel. Oxygen permeability of the hydrogels was directly related to their water content. Hydrogel membranes prepared from the graft copolymers have also well-defined structures which can be easily controlled by the graft copolymer structure.