Design of surfactant-grafted hydrogels with fast response to temperature

Here we show a new design concept of functional polymer gel for rapid deswelling by utilizing micelle-forming ability of surfactant. A thermosensitive polymer bearing a surfactant was synthesized by using N-isopropylacrylamide and a reactive surfactant. Above lower critical Solution temperature, the grafted surfactant acts to form micelle structure. In the shrinking process, the inside water is rapidly squeezed out through hydrophilic channel between the formed micelles and consequently the gel shrinks quickly.