(411b) Effect of Surfactant-Polymer Interactions in Precursor on Final Hydrogel Properties

Hydrogels have gained significant attention due to their ability to absorb and retain large amounts of water within a three-dimensional polymer network, making them versatile in various fields. The research hypothesis is that by including surfactants in the precursor solution, the properties of final hydrogel can be adjusted due to the interactions between surfactant and polymer in the precursor. Therefore, this study focuses on synthesizing and characterizing hydrogels derived from aqueous mixtures of Pluronic F68 diacrylate (PF68DA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and comparing them with hydrogels made from polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and SDS systems. The goal is to manipulate surfactant concentration for the similar molecular weight of polymer to control hydrogel properties, such as swelling capacity and kinetics and mechanical properties. The study also evaluates the drying kinetics of hydrogels, providing insights into their structural characteristics. Swelling tests reveal that increasing SDS concentration changes the swelling capacity due to the presence of micelles and their interaction with PEGDA or PF68DA. This behavior highlights the importance of surfactant concentration in tailoring the network structure of hydrogels.