A Parametric Study and Characterization of Porous, Non-Permeable, and Conductive PEGDA-HEMA Hydrogels

This study involved the development and characterization of novel porous, non-permeable, and conductive hydrogels. The hydrogels were fabricated with HEMA and crosslinked with PEGDA through a complete parametric study of the synthesis parameters which included water content and crosslinking content. The hydrogels were fabricated using UV photopolymerization and in situ polymerization of PPy, and characterization was conducted with respect to their physical, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. The physical properties were analyzed with respect to their swelling ratio and equilibrium water content. The thermal properties were analyzed based on the decomposition temperature and residue weight. The mechanical properties examined the elastic modulus of the hydrogels, and the electrical properties investigated the conductivity of the hydrogels. The relationships observed between the processing, structure, and resulting properties provide the basis for further development and application of these porous, non-permeable, and conductive hydrogels.