UV-assisted synthesis of super-macroporous polymer hydrogels

A facile method to the synthesis of polymer cryogels employing the UV irradiation technique and hydrogen peroxide as initiator is presented. Various cryogels composed of either biocompatible, biodegradable and/or temperature-responsive polymers are synthesized from polymer or monomer precursors. It is found that due to the macroporous structure, the cryogels exhibit a very rapid water uptake and, in the case of temperature-responsive polymers, ultra-rapid volume phase transition. The immobilization of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) into cryogels by two different approaches allows preparation of hybrid systems possessing either very fast release of Ag NPs or very slow release of Ag+.