10.1021/ma2001228.s001
Zi Liang Wu
Zi Liang
Wu
Takayuki Kurokawa
Takayuki
Kurokawa
Daisuke Sawada
Daisuke
Sawada
Jian Hu
Jian
Hu
Hidemitsu Furukawa
Hidemitsu
Furukawa
Jian Ping Gong
Jian Ping
Gong
Anisotropic Hydrogel from Complexation-Driven Reorientation of Semirigid Polyanion at Ca<sup>2+</sup> Diffusion Flux Front
American Chemical Society
2011
Semirigid Polyanion
anisotropic hydrogel
gelation process
anisotropic gel
semirigid polyanion
PBDT molecules
uniaxial diffusion
reorientation
PBDT orientation
Anisotropic Hydrogel
solution
reaction cell
2011-05-10 00:00:00
Journal contribution
https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Anisotropic_Hydrogel_from_Complexation_Driven_Reorientation_of_Semirigid_Polyanion_at_Ca_sup_2_sup_Diffusion_Flux_Front/2654779
We report a macroscopically anisotropic hydrogel developed by the facile dialysis of a synthetic semirigid polyanion in aqueous solution of multivalent cations. By the uniaxial diffusion of Ca<sup>2+</sup> into two ends of a thin rectangular reaction cell containing semirigid polyanion poly(2,2′-disulfonyl-4,4′-benzidine terephthalamide) (PBDT) aqueous solution, centimeter-scale anisotropic hydrogels with the PBDT molecules and their self-assembled fibrous bundles align in <i>perpendicular</i> to the Ca<sup>2+</sup> diffusion direction are obtained. The anisotropic gel shows a higher elastic modulus and tensile fracture stress/strain in the direction parallel to the PBDT orientation than that of perpendicular direction. By observing <i>in situ</i> the gelation process, an extraordinary molecular reorientation of PBDT at the Ca<sup>2+</sup> diffusion flux front is observed for the first time. The mechanism for the molecular reorientation is discussed in terms of complexation and gelation.