Content area
Full Text
Abstract
Cylinder and ring shaped samples of hydrogels were prepared by polymerization of acrylic acid in the solution of polyvinyl alcohol. The swelling degree and mechanical properties of the hydrogels were determined. The two-components hydrogels are characterized by a higher breaking strength and elasticity than the polyacrylic acid gels. It was found that the hydrogels demostrate the electromechanical response.
Keywords: hydrogels, polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, swelling degree, mechanical properties
Introduction
Hydrogels are of great interest to researchers as elements of artificial muscles. At present the hydrogels prepared of polyelectrolyte polymers are promising materials for the soft robotic applications due to easy manufacturing and low voltages for their actuation. The problem is to provide the polyelectrolyte gels sufficient level of breaking strength and elasticity. It may be solved by the preparation of two-components interpenetrating networks containing strong polyelectrolyte and also the component to optimize the mechanical properties of hydrogels. The goal of this work was to synthesize the electroactive hydrogels based on polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol and to investigate the dependence of...