Responsive Microgels at Surfaces and Interfaces
-
Stefan Wellert
,
Marcel Richter
Abstract
Stimuli responsive surface structures attract increasing attention due to a large variety of envisioned applications. The controlled organization of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamid), PNIPAM microgel particles at solid surfaces inspired numerous research activities. In this review article, we briefly discuss the swelling/deswelling properties of adsorbed microgel particles in comparison to the behavior in the bulk phase. The presence of the solid interface highly influences and changes their behavior with respect to the properties in solution. Furthermore, the confinement on a solid substrate allows the direct and in-situ investigation of the mechanical properties of the microgel particles. Additionally, we briefly review the research on microgel particles at liquid interfaces. At these interfaces new interesting effects occur. Moreover, we discuss some interesting work on potential applications. In this context, microgel particles are often used as an active component for responsive coatings of various functionality envisioning applications, e.g. in medicine, biotechnology, and nanooptics.
Zusammenfassung
Responsive Oberflächenmaterialien finden aufgrund der damit verbundenen potentiellen technischen Anwendungsmöglichkeiten große Beachtung in der aktuellen Forschung. Die Möglichkeit, kolloidale Gelpartikel aus poly(N-Isopropylacrylamid), PNIPAM an festen Oberflächen kontrolliert anzuordnen, inspirierte vielfältige Forschungsakivitäten. In diesem Übersichtsartikel diskutieren wir das Quellverhalten adsorbierter Mikrogelpartikel im Vergleich zu dem entsprechenden Verhalten dispergierter Partikel in der Volumenphase. Die Anwesenheit der festen Oberfläche beeinflusst und modifiziert diese Eigenschaften sehr stark im Vergleich zur Volumenphase. Die geometrische Einschränkung an der Oberfläche erlaubt darüber hinaus auch die Untersuchung der mechanischen Eigenschaften der Mikrogelpartikel. Im Weiteren geben wir einen kurzen Überblick über die Forschung zu Mikrogelen an flüssigen Grenzflächen. Zum Abschluß beschreiben wir interessante Ansätze, um die besonderen Eigenschaften von Mikrogelen für technische Anwendungen nutzbar zu machen. In diesem Sinne werden Mikrogele als aktive Komponente in responsiven Oberflächenmaterialien untersucht. Solche Materialien sollen dann unter anderem in Medizin, Biotechnologie und Nanooptik Verwendung finden.
©2014 Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Gerhard Findenegg: A Scientific Life in Soft Matter at Interfaces
- Nanoparticles via Oil-in-Water Microemulsions: a Solvent-Reduced, Energy-Efficient Approach
- Formation of Anisometric Fumed Silica Supraparticles – Mechanism and Application Potential
- Multidirectional, Multicomponent Electric Field Driven Assembly of Complex Colloidal Chains
- Polymer Brush/Metal Nanoparticle Hybrids for Optical Sensor Applications: from Self-Assembly to Tailored Functions and Nanoengineering
- Poly-acrylic Acid Brushes and Adsorbed Proteins
- Interactions of Two Fragments of the Human Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 with Zwitterionic and Anionic Lipid Monolayers
- Depletion Interaction Mediated by fd-Virus: on the Limit of Low Density and Derjaguin Approximation
- Transport Properties of Polyelectrolyte Solutions. Effect of Confinement in Thin Liquid Films
- Relationship Between Pore Structure and Sorption-Induced Deformation in Hierarchical Silica-Based Monoliths
- Ammonia Dissociation on Graphene Oxide: An Ab Initio Density Functional Theory Calculation
- Responsive Microgels at Surfaces and Interfaces
- Buckled Topography to Enhance Light Absorption in Thin Film Organic Photovoltaics Comprising CuPc/C60 Bilayer Laminates
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Gerhard Findenegg: A Scientific Life in Soft Matter at Interfaces
- Nanoparticles via Oil-in-Water Microemulsions: a Solvent-Reduced, Energy-Efficient Approach
- Formation of Anisometric Fumed Silica Supraparticles – Mechanism and Application Potential
- Multidirectional, Multicomponent Electric Field Driven Assembly of Complex Colloidal Chains
- Polymer Brush/Metal Nanoparticle Hybrids for Optical Sensor Applications: from Self-Assembly to Tailored Functions and Nanoengineering
- Poly-acrylic Acid Brushes and Adsorbed Proteins
- Interactions of Two Fragments of the Human Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 with Zwitterionic and Anionic Lipid Monolayers
- Depletion Interaction Mediated by fd-Virus: on the Limit of Low Density and Derjaguin Approximation
- Transport Properties of Polyelectrolyte Solutions. Effect of Confinement in Thin Liquid Films
- Relationship Between Pore Structure and Sorption-Induced Deformation in Hierarchical Silica-Based Monoliths
- Ammonia Dissociation on Graphene Oxide: An Ab Initio Density Functional Theory Calculation
- Responsive Microgels at Surfaces and Interfaces
- Buckled Topography to Enhance Light Absorption in Thin Film Organic Photovoltaics Comprising CuPc/C60 Bilayer Laminates
