Saminu M. Magami
Edinburgh Napier University, UK
Title: Influence of covalent and ionic crosslinking on structure development in hydrogels assembled via in-situ photo-polymerisation.
Biography
Biography: Saminu M. Magami
Abstract
The unique property of hydrogels arises from their structure which is a three dimensional network, created by the physical and chemical cross-linking of monomers/polymers. Traditionally, multivalent crosslinker molecules are employed in the polymerisation process in order to form their microstructure. The extent of the crosslinking and the crosslink density in hydrogels govern many of their mechanical properties. The application areas of hydrogels are diverse, often used to make soft contact lenses, nappies, wound dressings and drug delivery systems. In this study, in-situ photo-polymerisation and rheology were used in the synthesis and characterisation of polymeric hydrogel materials. N,N′-Methylenebis(acrylamide) and a range of divalent cationic species were used, as crosslinking agents. Aspects associated with the structural evolution and the viscoelasticity of the resulting materials were monitored by small amplitude oscillatory shear measurements and creep measurements. The influence of each type of crosslinking agent on network development was studied. The results show that the hydrogel network is significantly influenced by the nature and concentration of the various crosslinking agents used in formulation