Hyperbranched polyethylenimine–based polymeric nanoparticles: synthesis, properties, and an application in selective response to copper ion

Ionic Crosslinking of Linear Polyethyleneimine Hydrogels with Tripolyphosphate

In this work, the mechanical properties of hydrogels based on linear polyethyleneimine (PEI) chemically crosslinked with ethyleneglycoldiglycidyl ether (EGDE) were improved by the ionic crosslinking with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). To this end, the quaternization of the nitrogen atoms present in the PEI structure was conducted to render a network with a permanent positive charge to interact with the negative charges of TPP. The co-crosslinking process was studied by 1H high-resolution magic angle spinning (1H HRMAS) NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in combination with organic elemental analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In addition, the mobility and confinement of water molecules within the co-crosslinked hydrogels were studied by low-field 1H NMR. The addition of small amounts of TPP, 0.03 to 0.26 mmoles of TPP per gram of material, to the PEI-EGDE hydrogel resulted in an increase in the deformation resistance from 320 to 1080%, respectively. Moreover, the adsorption capacity of the hydrogels towards various emerging contaminants remained high after the TPP crosslinking, with maximum loading capacities (qmax) of 77, 512, and 55 mg g-1 at pH = 4 for penicillin V (antibiotic), methyl orange (azo-dye) and copper(II) ions (metal ion), respectively. A significant decrease in the adsorption capacity was observed at pH = 7 or 10, with qmax of 356 or 64 and 23 or 0.8 mg g-1 for methyl orange and penicillin V, respectively.

Ultrafast Self-Healing, Superstretchable, and Ultra-Strong Polymer Cluster-Based Adhesive Based on Aromatic Acid Cross-Linkers for Excellent Hydrogel Strain Sensors

Synthetic hydrogel strain sensors rarely exhibit a comprehensive combination of mechanical properties such as ultra-stretchability, ultrafast self-healing, and high sensitivity. Herein, seven small molecule enhanced mechanical behaviors of polymer-cluster based hydrogels are demonstrated. The oxidized polyethyleneimine/polymeric acrylic acid (ohPEI/PAA) hydrogels with aromatic formic acids as supramolecular cross-linkers are prepared by simultaneous formation of ohPEI polymer clusters and PAA upon the addition of ammonium persulfate. The optimized hydrogel adhesive exhibits comprehensive excellent properties, such as high extensibility (up to 12 298%), real-time mechanical self-healing capability (<1 s, 93% efficiency), high uniformity, underwater adhesivity, and water-sealing ability. The proper binding strength of hydrogel and skin (47 kPa) allows the hydrogel to be utilized as highly sensitive (gauge factor:16.08), highly conductive (2.58 mS cm-1), and underwater strain sensors. Specially, the adhesive strength of the adhesive to wood after dehydration is extremely high, reaching up to 29.59 MPa. Additionally, when glycerol is introduced, the obtained gel maintains the physical properties even at harsh-temperature conditions (-40 to 80 °C). It presents that multiple and hierarchical non-covalent interactions including multiple hydrogen bonding interactions, π-π stacking, electrostatic interactions, and dipole-dipole interactions of polymer clusters, allow for the energy dissipation and contribute to the excellent performance of the hydrogel.

Linear Polyethyleneimine-Based and Metal Organic Frameworks (DUT-67) Composite Hydrogels as Efficient Sorbents for the Removal of Methyl Orange, Copper Ions, and Penicillin V

This research explores the integration of DUT-67 metal organic frameworks into polyethyleneimine-based hydrogels to assemble a composite system with enough mechanical strength, pore structure and chemical affinity to work as a sorbent for water remediation. By varying the solvent-to-modulator ratio in a water-based synthesis path, the particle size of DUT-67 was successfully modulated from 1 μm to 200 nm. Once DUT-67 particles were integrated into the polymeric hydrogel, the composite hydrogel exhibited enhanced mechanical properties after the incorporation of the MOF filler. XPS, NMR, TGA, FTIR, and FT Raman studies confirmed the presence and interaction of the DUT-67 particles with the polymeric chains within the hydrogel network. Adsorption studies of methyl orange, copper(II) ions, and penicillin V on the composite hydrogel revealed a rapid adsorption kinetics and monolayer adsorption according to the Langmuir's model. The composite hydrogel demonstrated higher adsorption capacities, as compared to the pristine hydrogel, showcasing a synergistic effect, with maximum adsorption capacities of 473 ± 21 mg L-1, 86 ± 6 mg L-1, and 127 ± 4 mg L-1, for methyl orange, copper(II) ions, and penicillin V, respectively. This study highlights the potential of MOF-based composite hydrogels as efficient adsorbents for environmental pollutants and pharmaceuticals.

Ultrafast Self-Healing, Highly Stretchable, Adhesive, and Transparent Hydrogel by Polymer Cluster Enhanced Double Networks for Both Strain Sensors and Environmental Remediation Application

Stretchable, healable, biocompatible, and conductive hydrogels are one of the promising candidates for both wearable electronics and environmental remediation applications. To date, the design of hydrogels that integrate ultrafast self-healing with high efficiency (seconds), high stretchability, and biocompatibility and reversibility into one system is not an easy task. Herein, we demonstrate a general oxidation approach to accelerate the hydrogelation of hPEI-based double network gels via the generation of fluorescent polymer clusters at room temperature or triggered by the heating-cooling process. The resulting ohPEI hydrogel has the merit of biocompatibility over most reported hPEI hydrogels for strain sensors. It shows a high conductivity (1.3 S/m), an ultrafast self-healing ability (<3 s, 98% healing efficiency within 60 s), a high stretchability (∼1850 and ∼7000% in deformation), and reversible adhesivity on various material surfaces. The excellent performance of the hydrogel is ascribed to the cooperative and hierarchical interactions of four types of dynamic combinations, including the reversible borate bond, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, and polymer cluster interactions. The reversible fabrication process by the one-spot method (just by simple mixing of the components) and superior properties of the hydrogel make it an ideal candidate for a wearable strain sensor to monitor human motions and physiological activities. Moreover, it is also a good hydrogel absorbent for phase separation absorption of volatile organic compounds with a high capacity (for acetone: 4.75 g g^-1), reusability, and an easy handling process.