The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Hydrogels often exhibit soft and mechanically weak properties due to the plasticizing effect of water, along with limitations in long-term stability due to high vapor pressure and narrow operating temperature ranges. To address these challenges, glycol was used as a solvent. Glycol’s low vapor pressure and wide temperature range provide enhanced long-term stability, while its weaker hydrogen bonding strength, lower hydrogen bonding density and polarity compared to water lead to stronger polymer-polymer interactions, reducing plasticization and resulting in a more robust gel network. By copolymerizing monomers compatible with glycol, we synthesized tough and glassy glycol gels. The mechanical properties of these gels could be easily controlled by adjusting the monomer composition and concentration. This approach provides a simple way to create tough and glassy gels with excellent mechanical properties, offering an efficient method for designing gels for a variety of applications.