Effects of experimental variables on the synthesis of porous matrices

Abstract

Macroporous beads, poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-co-acrylic acid) [poly(EGDMA-co-AAc)], and poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [poly(EGDMA-co-HEMA)] were prepared by the suspension polymerization technique in the presence of a porogen agent. Different experimental conditions such as amount of initiator, porogen type, and temperature were studied to optimize the polymerization systems. These hydrophilic copolymers were characterized by IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area, and swelling in water. A new parameter, H, defined as the ratio between the equilibrium weight swelling ratio (q w ) and equilibrium volume swelling ratio (q v ), allowed to select the reaction conditions from which matrices with high capacity of water sorption and low stretching degree were reached.