Hallo everyone,
maybe you can help me with this.
I worked on my thesis about microgels. I investigate theis responses to temperature change. However, it didnt swell or adjust its form due to temperature change.
my assumption is, that these microgels are not temperatursensitiv as the material used is low methyl-esterified (it was 2 % esterified) pectin which has low level of hydrophilic group attached to the polymer chains. As these hydrophilic groups are responsible for swelling behaviour of microgels.
or anyone has another idea?
i would be very thankful if someone could help
thank you so much
best regards
Non-fluid colloidal network or polymer network that is expanded throughout its whole volume by a fluid is gel. In other words, solid disperse systems within which a liquid is distributed are called gels. These include coal, pea. Time dependent changes in the chemical or the physical structure and the properties of a gel is gel aging. Point of incipient network formation in a process forming a polymer network is gelation (gel) point. A thermally reversible gel is usually formed by cooling a polymer solution. In these cases, the gel temperature is a maximum temperature at which the presence of network is observed. Gel temperatures depend on the method of determination. Gels are usually thermally reversible.
first, thank you so much for your reply. yes this is where i get confused. As GEls are usually thermally reversible..
But in this case, my microgels which are synthesized in w/o Emulsion is not. i heated it in hot-stage microscope, at 90 degree for 5 minutes. nothing happened.
what is the reason for its temperature insensitivity?
Perhaps the time of formation of your gel and the time of its "melting" is great, try to increase the waiting time for changes in the gel. Perhaps the relaxation time of your structure is very long.This is the case with polymers of high molecular weight.
oh thank you so much, it think its more relevant reason to this insensitivity of microgels, than hydrophilicity , i think. thank you a lot for your help
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