(188x) Polyacrylamide-MMT Nanocomposite Hydrogels: Effect of Nanoparticle Loading on Protein Electrophoretic Mobility

One of the primary problems associated with the use of hydrogels for bioseparations is the handling of the gel after performing electrophoresis. These gels often break apart rending any result useless. Typically, these gels consist of a polyamide backbone, usually polyacrylamide, with no reinforcement. Nanocomposite hydrogels consisting of Polyamide backbone and a Montmorillonite (MMT) dispersed phase are well known to increase the strength of hydrogels which are used in a variety of applications. Haraguchi has presented a series of papers in which this has systematically been exposed for the PNIPAM/MMT system. The analogous system used in these experiments consists of a PAM backbone with MMT filler. Rheological information will presented showing reinforcement of the gel with increased MMT filler. Swelling information will be presented showing interaction of the MMT with the gel. The effective mobility of Ovalbumin and Carbonic Anhydrase, two model proteins in a PAM-MMT nanocomposite under an electrophoretic driving force of 6.7V/cm will be presented over a range of compositions of the MMT nanoparticles.