Individual and simultaneous swelling of amphiphilic conetworks in water and n-heptane

A series of amphiphilic conetworks of different compositions comprising poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) nanodomains were made, and their cocontinuity was characterized via separate swelling in water and n-heptane and simultaneous swelling in water/n-heptane mixtures. The extent and rate of swelling were determined and analyzed. The swelling of the cocontinuous hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) and hydrophobic poly(dimethylsiloxane) domains progressed independently of each other, and morphological changes, which occurred during swelling, influenced the rate of swelling. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.