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Study of Free Radical Polymerization of Chitosan Reinforced N-isopropylacrylamide/Acrylamide (NIPAM/AAM) Composites Directed Towards Bio-applications
Amir Elzwawy and Y.H. Elbashar

In this study the N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) was used to synthesize a thermoresponsive composites by a redox polymerization method. Different NIPAM/AAM molar ratios were used to get the final gel. The swelling studies were performed for composites. These composites were characterized by the fast gelation at low temperatures by addition of the TEMED accelerator. Also a temperature variation program was applied to the prepared composites to check their a temperature variation program was applied to the prepared composites to check their thermosensitivity. Composites of poly (N-isoprpylco acrylamide) having a thermoresponsive character were prepared by the redox polymerization method. The equilibrium swelling ratio, dynamic swelling and dynamic deswelling ratio were measured for all composites. NIPAM/AAM mole ratio and crosslinker concentration with different thermoresponsive properties obtained by changing the initial (NIPAM/AAM) ratio and crosslinker concentration were determined. In addition to pH sensitivity, obtained by immersing composites in different buffer solutions with pH values ranging from 2.1 to 11.5 were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, DSC, TGA. TEM technique was also applied to the prepared composites, Cs and pure NIPAM.

Keywords: copolymers, phase behavior, Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA); Swelling, composites

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