Temperature‐sensitive poly(vinyl methyl ether) hydrogel beads

Temperature‐sensitive hydrogel beads were prepared by radiation crosslinking of poly(vinyl methyl ether) PVME spheres wrapped in Ca‐alginate. The obtained gel beads have diameters in the sub‐millimeter or millimeter range (depending on the PVME concentration). They were characterized by sol‐gel analysis, swelling measurements, and differential scanning calorimetry. The gel content g increases with increasing radiation dose D. The swelling degree Qv decreases with increasing PVME concentration cp and increasing D. In comparison to PVME bulkgels the phase‐transition temperature of the synthesized PVME gel beads is a little decreased.