Preparation of macroporous poly(acrylamide) hydrogels by radiation induced polymerization technique

Macroporous poly(acrylamide) [poly(AAm)] hydrogels were prepared by using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with three different molecular weight as the pore-forming agent during the radiation induced polymerization reaction. Scanning electron microscope graphs reveal that the macroporous network structure of the hydrogels can be adjusted by applying different molecular weights of PEG during the polymerization reaction. The swelling ratios of the PEG-modified hydrogels were much higher than those for the same type of hydrogel prepared via traditional method. However, the pulsatile swelling behavior of the PEG-modified hydrogels in water and in acetone was affected slightly by the change in the amount of the PEG.