Size distribution and elastic properties of thermo-responsive polymer gel microparticles in suspension probed by ultrasonic spectroscopy

Takehisa Inoue; Tomohisa Norisuye; Kazuki Sugita; Hideyuki Nakanishi; Qui Tran-Cong-Miyata

doi:10.1016/j.ultras.2017.07.007

Size distribution and elastic properties of thermo-responsive polymer gel microparticles in suspension probed by ultrasonic spectroscopy

Ultrasonics. 2018 Jan:82:31-38. doi: 10.1016/j.ultras.2017.07.007. Epub 2017 Jul 14.

Authors

Takehisa Inoue¹, Tomohisa Norisuye², Kazuki Sugita¹, Hideyuki Nakanishi¹, Qui Tran-Cong-Miyata¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Science & Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan.
² Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Science & Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan. Electronic address: nori@kit.jp.

PMID: 28738253
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2017.07.007

Abstract

The size distribution and the elasticity of thermo-responsive gel particles dispersed in water were examined in-situ by ultrasonic spectroscopy (US). Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) gel particles, undergoing volume phase transition at 34°C were synthesized by redox polymerization in emulsion, and the temperature dependence of the acoustic properties was examined. The longitudinal velocity and the attenuation coefficient of particle exhibited a drastic change at the transition temperature, indicating the increase in the mechanical properties, such the longitudinal, bulk and shear moduli, due to the shrinkage of particles upon temperature stimulation. The shear modulus of monodisperse particles, and also the stiffness of the gel particles were evaluated.

Keywords: Attenuation; Gel; Microparticle; Scattering; Sound velocity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't