Thermosensitive and ampholytic hydrogels for salt solution

A series of N-isopropylacrylamide/[[3(methacryloylamino)propyl]dimethy(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide] (NIPAAm/MPSA) copolymer hydrogels were prepared with various compositions. Swelling of the hydrogels in water, aqueous NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2 solutions was studied. NIPAAm/MPSA hydrogels have a higher degree of swelling in water and salt solutions than that of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). Also, NIPAAm/MPSA hydrogels are more salt resistant when deswelling in salt solutions. For <7 mol % MPSA, the formed hydrogels retain both temperature reversibility and high swelling. A higher content of MPSA (>11 mol %) leads to better salt resistance but a decrease in thermosensitivity.