Controlling the Cross-Linking Density of Supramolecular Hydrogels Formed by Heterotelechelic Associating Copolymers

Associating polymers constitute a fascinating class of materials because of the richness in their rheological behaviors. They may find application in numerous areas, provided that their mechanical properties can be tailored to fulfill specific requirements. In this context, this study aims to control the magnitude of the viscoelastic response of coordination micellar hydrogels built through the hierarchical assembly of heterotelechelic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). The influence of different variables on the rheological properties of those materials is investigated and discussed in term of cross-linking density. In this respect, two distinct regimes are distinguished that correspond to the well percolated network, with a high cross-linking density, and the weakly percolated network, with a low cross-linking density.