Inkjet printing of self-assembling polyelectrolyte hydrogels

Authors

Skander Limen, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Donald McCallum, University of WollongongFollow
Gordon G. Wallace, University of WollongongFollow
Marc in het Panhuis, University of WollongongFollow
Paul Calvert, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

36178

Publication Details

Limen, S., McCallum, D., Wallace, G. G., in het Panhuis, M. & Calvert, P. (2011). Inkjet printing of self-assembling polyelectrolyte hydrogels. Soft Matter, 7 (8), 3818-3826.

Abstract

Inkjet printing of alternate layers of anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes allows organized gels to form with structures similar to those made by layer-by-layer dipping methods but very much faster. Structures of gels formed using slow and fast inkjet printing systems are compared using elemental analysis, swelling and diffusion kinetics as characterization methods. After printing and washing, most sodium or chloride counter-ions are lost from the gel, leaving only the polymer complex. The swelling properties of the printed and washed gel depend on the deposition rate and on the ratio of the two polymers as originally printed.

Grant Number

ARC/FF0669110

Additional Grant Number

http://purl.org/au-research/grants/ARC/FF0669110