Cross-Linking Structural Effect of Hydrogel Based on 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate

The study presents the possibility to prepare copolymers based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate using two variants of comonomers: ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (1) and 3,9-divinyl-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]-undecane (2) that act as cross-linkers for the methacrylate networks generation. The chemical structure of the copolymerssynthesized through redox polymerization process using ammonium persulfate and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine as initiator pair was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The transparent gel structures were prepared in ethylene glycol. The influence of the comonomers type upon gel copolymers formation was put into evidence by the swelling behavior of the polymeric structure. The morphological information concerning the studied polymeric compounds by SEM evidenced the differences between the hydrogels with respect to cross-linker type and its amount in the monomer feed. Also the thermal stability is a function of the type and amount of the cross-linker.