Abstract
SYNTHETIC polymer gels are known to exist in two phases, swollen and collapsed1,2. Volume transitions may occur between the phases either continuously or discontinuously. We report here that more than two phases can be found in gels consisting of copolymers of randomly distributed positively and negatively charged groups. In these gels, polymer segments interact with each other through attractive or repulsive electrostatic interactions and through hydrogen bonding. It is the combination of these forces that seems to result in the existence of several phases. Each phase is characterized by a distinct degree of swelling, with abrupt jumps between them. The number of phases depends on the proportions of positively and negatively charged monomers, and decreases from a maximum of seven to just one for pure cationic or anionic gel compositions. The existence of these phases presumably reflects the ability of macromolecular systems to adopt different stable conformations in response to changes in environmental conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dusek, K. & Patterson, D. J. Polym. Sci. A2 6, 1209–1216 (1968).
Tanaka, T. et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 45, 1636–1639 (1980).
Ilmain, F., Tanaka, T. & Kokufuta, E. Nature 349, 400–401 (1991).
Myoga, A. & Katayama, S. Polym. Prep. Japan 36, 2852–2853 (1987).
DeGennes, P. G. Scaling Concepts in Polymer Physics (Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 1979).
Edwards, S., King, P. R. & Pincus, P. Ferroelectrics 30, 3–6 (1980).
Lifshitz, I. M., Grosberg, A. Yu & Khokhlov, A. R. Rev. mod. Phys. 50, 683–713 (1978).
Higgs, P. G. & Joanny, J-F. J. chem. Phys. 94, 1543–1554 (1991).
Qian, C. & Kholodenko, A. L. J. chem. Phys. 89, 5273–5279 (1988).
Khokhlov, A. R. & Kachaturian, K. A. Polymer 23, 1742–1750 (1982).
Kantor, Y. & Kardar, M. Europhys. Lett. 14, 421–426 (1991).
Golubovic, L. & Lubensky, T. Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 1082–1085 (1989).
Shakhnovich, E. I. & Gutin, A. M. Europhys. Lett. 8, 327–332 (1989).
Goldbart, P. & Goldfeld, N. Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 2676–2679 (1987).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Annaka, M., Tanaka, T. Multiple phases of polymer gels. Nature 355, 430–432 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/355430a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/355430a0
This article is cited by
-
Thermally trainable dual network hydrogels
Nature Communications (2023)
-
Highly stretchable and thermally healable polyampholyte hydrogels via hydrophobic modification
Colloid and Polymer Science (2020)
-
Versatile whole-organ/body staining and imaging based on electrolyte-gel properties of biological tissues
Nature Communications (2020)
-
QCM sensing of bisphenol A using molecularly imprinted hydrogel/conducting polymer matrix
Polymer Journal (2016)
-
Block copolymer photonic mesogels exhibiting dual volume phase transitions
Polymer Bulletin (2013)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
