Ionic organic/inorganic materials. III. Stimuli responsive hybrid hydrogels based on oligo(N,N‐dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate) and chloroalkyl‐functionalized siloxanes

Ionic organic/siloxane networks containing quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) sequences in the cross‐linking bridges were obtained by the Menshutkin reaction of oligo(N,N‐dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate) (ODMAEM) with a telechelic chloroalkylated siloxane (CAS), such as 1,3‐bis‐(chloromethyl)‐1,1,3,3‐tetramethyldisiloxane, 1,3‐bis‐(chloropropyl)‐1,1,3,3‐tetramethyldisiloxane, and α,ω‐bis(chloromethyl) oligodimethylsiloxane. The resulted structures were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy emphasizing the presence of both organic and siloxane moieties. The thermogravimetric analysis under inert atmosphere of the networks, besides the thermal stability, gave also information on the composition of hybrid hydrogels. The morphology of the lyophilized networks was evidenced by environmental scanning electron microscopy, as a function of CAS structure and CAS: ODMAEM feed molar ratio. The swelling response of the ionic networks in water as a function of pH and counterion nature and concentration as well as the water vapors sorption capacity in dynamic regime were evaluated. The properties of the ionic hybrid hydrogels were correlated with the reactants feed molar ratio and concentration of the reaction mixture, CAS type, and the presence of a catalyst.