Electrical sensitive behavior of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) IPN hydrogel

Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) exhibited electrical-sensitive behavior. The PVA/PDADMAC IPN hydrogel was synthesized using the sequential IPN method. The swelling behavior of the IPN hydrogel was studied by immersion of the gel in aqueous NaCl solutions at various concentrations and pHs. The swelling ratio decreased with an increase in NaCl concentration. The stimuli response of the IPN hydrogel in electric fields was also investigated. When swollen IPN hydrogel was placed between a pair of electrodes, the IPN exhibited bending behavior upon the application of an electric field. The IPN also showed stepwise bending behavior depending on the electric stimulus. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.