(307e) Film Characteristics of Magnetic Nanoparticles Incorporated into Tethered Thermoresponsive N-Isopropylacrylamide Copolymer Hydrogels

Hydrogels are highly cross-linked hydrophilic polymers that undergo rapid volume changes in response to external stimuli gradients such as temperature or pH. Through the formation of surface-tethered patterned hydrogel thin films, the swelling characteristics can be controlled. These polymer systems offer ideal scaffolds for the incorporation of responsive nanoparticles, which can be used either as sensing elements, as energy coupling agents for actuator systems, or as bistable switching systems. Here we report on the magnetic and physical analysis of composite films formed through the incorporation of magnetic nanoparticles into photo-cross-linkable temperature sensitive N-isopropylacrylamide copolymer thin films.