Equilibrium swelling properties of weakly lonizable 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)‐based hydrogels

Abstract

AbstractHydrogles, sensitive to pH, were prepared by copolymerizing 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with 2‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMA). The mole fraction of the DMA monomer present during synthesis was fixed at 0.3, while the volume fraction of total monomer varied from 0.29 (I) to 1.0 (II). Swelling equilibria were measured in citrate of phosphate buffer for pH from 3.0 to 7.6 Swelling of the hydrogels depends on the volume fraction monomer present during synthesis, solution, pH, and identity of the buffer, Hydrogel I reached a four‐fold larger swelling ratio (g swollen hydrogel/g dry hydrogel) in pH 3.0 citrate buffer, as compared to hydrogel II. Experimental results are interpreted on the basis of ideal Donnan equilibria. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.