Negatively Thermoresponsive Membranes with Functional Gates Driven by Zipper‐Type Hydrogen‐Bonding Interactions

Abstract

Open the gate: Thermoresponsive gating membranes based on interpenetrating polymer networks composed of polyacrylamide (PAAM) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAAC) have inverse gating characteristics, with opening of the membrane pores induced by a decrease rather than an increase in temperature (see picture; UCST=upper critical solution temperature). The membranes provide a new mode of phase-transition behavior for thermoresponsive “smart” membrane actuators.