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arXiv · 2206.14291

Micron-sized silica-PNIPAM core-shell microgels with tunable shell-to-core ratio

Keumkyung Kuk·Lukas Gregel·Vahan Abgarjan·Caspar Croonenbrock·Sebastian Hänsch·Matthias Karg
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Abstract

Micron-sized hard core-soft shell hybrid microgels are promising model systems for studies of soft matter as they enable in-situ optical investigations and their structures/morphologies can be engineered with a great variety. Yet, protocols that yield micron-sized core-shell microgels with a tailorable shell-to-core size ratio are rarely available. In this work, we report on the one-pot synthesis protocol for micron-sized silica-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) core-shell microgels that has excellent control over the shell-to-core ratio. Small-angle light scattering and microscopy of 2- and 3-dimensional assemblies of the synthesized microgels confirm that the produced microgels are monodisperse and suitable for optical investigation even at high packing fractions.

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Keumkyung Kuk, Lukas Gregel, Vahan Abgarjan, Caspar Croonenbrock, Sebastian Hänsch, Matthias Karg. 2022-06-28. Micron-sized silica-PNIPAM core-shell microgels with tunable shell-to-core ratio. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8080516

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