Thermoresponsive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐N‐vinylimidazole) hydrogels by redox polymerization

Thermoresponsive hydrogels in the form of rods were prepared from N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and N-vinylimidazole (NIV) by a redox copolymerization method. Poly(NIPAM-co-NVI) hydrogels with different thermoresponsive properties were obtained by changing the initial NIPAM/NVI mole ratio and total monomer concentrations. Equilibrium swelling ratio, dynamic swelling ratio, and dynamic deswelling ratio were evaluated for all hydrogels systems. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 22: 246–251, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10053