procedure. In addition, a very high crosslinking efficiency was reached without any
purging of the reagent solution with an inert gas.
Certain limitations of the technique described in this review arise from the
penetration depth of the irradiation. To fabricate material with identical behavior
throughout the whole structure, it is recommended that the entire sample be
Table 2 Monomer precursors used for the synthesis of polymer cryogels via the UV irradiation
technique
Monomer
Structural formula
Solvent
References
Acrylamide (AAm)
O
NH 2
Water
[16, 21]
N-Isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm)
O
NH
Water
[16]
2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate
(HEMA)
O
O
OH
Water
[16]
N-Vinylcaprolactam (VCL)
N
O
Water/
ethanol
[16]
2-(Dimetylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA)
O
O
N
1,4-Dioxane [22]
Oligo(ethyleneglycol) methacrylate
(OEGMA)
O
O
O
n
1,4-Dioxane [22]
Ethoxytriethyleneglycol acrylate
(ETEGA)
O
O
O
3
Water
[23, 24]
Fig. 11 Formation of polymer network from vinyl monomer and bifunctional crosslinking agent
via UV irradiation
210
P.D. Petrov and C.B. Tsvetanov
purging of the reagent solution with an inert gas.
Certain limitations of the technique described in this review arise from the
penetration depth of the irradiation. To fabricate material with identical behavior
throughout the whole structure, it is recommended that the entire sample be
Table 2 Monomer precursors used for the synthesis of polymer cryogels via the UV irradiation
technique
Monomer
Structural formula
Solvent
References
Acrylamide (AAm)
O
NH 2
Water
[16, 21]
N-Isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm)
O
NH
Water
[16]
2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate
(HEMA)
O
O
OH
Water
[16]
N-Vinylcaprolactam (VCL)
N
O
Water/
ethanol
[16]
2-(Dimetylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA)
O
O
N
1,4-Dioxane [22]
Oligo(ethyleneglycol) methacrylate
(OEGMA)
O
O
O
n
1,4-Dioxane [22]
Ethoxytriethyleneglycol acrylate
(ETEGA)
O
O
O
3
Water
[23, 24]
Fig. 11 Formation of polymer network from vinyl monomer and bifunctional crosslinking agent
via UV irradiation
210
P.D. Petrov and C.B. Tsvetanov