Microgels react to force: mechanical properties, syntheses, and force-activated functions

Chemical Society Reviews, vol. 51, pp. 2939–2956

Abstract

Microgels are colloidal polymer networks with high molar mass and properties between rigid particles, flexible macromolecules, and micellar aggregates. Their unique stimuli-responsiveness in conjunction with their colloidal phase behavior render them useful for many applications ranging from engineering to biomedicine. In many scenarios either the microgel's mechanical properties or its interactions with mechanical force play an important role. Here, we firstly explain microgel mechanical properties and how these are measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), then we equip the reader with the synthetic background to understand how specific architectures and chemical functionalities enable these mechanical properties, and eventually we elucidate how the interaction of force with microgels can lead to the activation of latent functionality. Since the interaction of microgels with force is a multiscale and multidisciplinary subject, we introduce and interconnect the different research areas that contribute to the understanding of this emerging field in this Tutorial Review.

Authors 6

1. M. Friederike Schulte Aachen Institute of Physical Chemistry

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany

2. Emilia Izak‐Nau Aachen DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany

3. Susanne Braun Aachen DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Andrij Pich corresponding Aachen DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   Maastricht University · DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Maastricht University, Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Brightlands Chemelot Campus, 6167 RD Geleen, The Netherlands

5. Walter H. Richtering corresponding Aachen Institute of Physical Chemistry

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany

6. Robert Göstl corresponding Aachen DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany