Super Elastic Epoxy Hydrogel

Abstract

Described is a super elastic epoxy hydrogel that is easy to manufacture and can be engineered for various performance enhancements of the polymer. Also described are methods of enhancing the performance of this hydrogel and other hydrogels. Various polymer hydrogel composites, structures and their uses are included.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electro—or light—activated volume changing polymer gel comprising an elastic epoxy hydrogel polymer composition comprising the reaction product of a polyether amine selected from the group consisting of polyoxyalkyleneamine, and a (poly)alkylene glycol having amino or alkylamino termini selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol amine, di-(3-aminopropyl) diethylene glycol, polyetherdiamine, polyoxyethylenediamine, triethyleneglycol diamine and polyglycidyl ether, and wherein at least one metal oxide is included in the composition to control swelling characteristics of the composition and at least one of a density, porosity, electrical conductivity, photo-responsiveness, photo-sensitivity, or a combination thereof, of the composition, and wherein the composition further includes at least one further substance selected from the group consisting of a metal, a carbon, a mineral, an acid, a salt, and a combination thereof, in a form of nanopowders. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyetheramine comprises a polyether backbone with primary amino groups attached to its terminus, and wherein the polyether backbone is selected from the group consisting of propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, mixed ethylene oxide/propylene oxide, another backbone segment of varied reactivity provided by hindering the primary amine or through secondary amine functionality, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said polyether amine has a molecular weight of 5,000 or less and is selected from the group consisting of a monoamine, a diamine, a triamine, a quaternary amine and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said polyglycidyl ether is selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether; ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether; 1,3-butanediol diglycidyl ether; poly(propylene glycol) diglycidyl ether; poly(dimethylsiloxane), diglycidyl ether terminated; neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether; neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether, brominated; cyclohexanedimethanol diglycidyl ether, mixture of cis and trans, glycerol diglycidyl ether; diglycerol polyglycidyl ether; glycerol polyglycidyl ether; bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, brominated; bisphenol S diglycidyl ether; bisphenol F diglycidyl ether; bis[4-(glycidyloxy)phenyl]methane; 1,4-butanediyl diglycidyl ether; 4-butanediol diglycidyl ether; bisphenol A propoxylate diglycidyl ether; 1,3-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)benzene; 1,3-diglycidyloxybenzene; resorcinol diglycidyl ether; diglycidylresorcinol; diglycidyl resorcinol ether; resorcinol diglycidyl ether; hydroquinone diglycidyl ether; 2,2′-[1,3phenylenebis(oxymethylene)]bisoxirane; m-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)benzene; meta-bis(glycidyloxy)benzene; resorcinol bis(2,3-epoxypropyl)ether; trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether; sorbitol polyglycidyl ether; polyglycerol polyglycidyl ether; pentaerythritol polyglycidyl ether; trimethylolpropane polyglycidyl ether; polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether; glycidyl ester ether of p-hydroxy benzoic acid; 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether; terephthalic acid diglycidyl ester, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide functions as a chemical catalyst, photo catalyst or electrical catalyst. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one further substance is suspended in, or is a liquid solution. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , and further comprising water or an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyether amine is hydrophilic and the polyglycidyl ether is hydrophilic prior to curing. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a dendrimer selected from the group consisting of a polyamidoamine polyether dendrimer, a poly(propylene-imine) PPI-dendrimer, an amino-functionalized dendrimer, and combination thereof, incorporated in the polymer structure. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , and further comprising a polyether amine, a glycidyl ether or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . An electro—or light—activated volume changing polymer gel comprising an elastic epoxy hydrogel polymer composition comprising the reaction product of a polyether amine selected from the group consisting of polyoxyalkyleneamine, and a (poly)alkylene glycol having amino or alkylamino termini selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol amine, di-(3-aminopropyl) diethylene glycol, polyoxyethylenediamine, and triethyleneglycol diamine, and a polyglycidyl ether, and wherein a metal oxide is included in the composition to control swelling characteristics of the composition and at least one of a density, porosity, electrical conductivity, photo-responsiveness, photo-sensitivity, or a combination thereof, of the composition, and wherein the composition further includes at least one further substance selected from the group consisting of a metal, a carbon, a mineral, an acid, a salt, and a combination thereof, in a form of nanopowders. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said polyether amine has a molecular weight of 5,000 or less and is selected from the group consisting of a monoamine, a diamine, a triamine, a quaternary amine and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said polyglycidyl ether is selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether; ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether; 1,3-butanediol diglycidyl ether; poly(propylene glycol) diglycidyl ether; poly(dimethylsiloxane), diglycidyl ether terminated; neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether; neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether, brominated; cyclohexanedimethanol diglycidyl ether, mixture of cis and trans, glycerol diglycidyl ether; diglycerol polyglycidyl ether; glycerol polyglycidyl ether; bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, brominated; bisphenol S diglycidyl ether; bisphenol F diglycidyl ether; bis[4-(glycidyloxy)phenyl]methane; 1,4-butanediyl diglycidyl ether; 4-butanediol diglycidyl ether; bisphenol A propoxylate diglycidyl ether; 1,3-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)benzene; 1,3-diglycidyloxybenzene; resorcinol diglycidyl ether; diglycidylresorcinol; diglycidyl resorcinol ether; resorcinol diglycidyl ether; hydroquinone diglycidyl ether; 2,2′-[1,3phenylenebis(oxymethylene)]bisoxirane; m-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)benzene; meta-bis(glycidyloxy)benzene; resorcinol bis(2,3-epoxypropyl)ether; trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether; sorbitol polyglycidyl ether; polyglycerol polyglycidyl ether; pentaerythritol polyglycidyl ether; trimethylolpropane polyglycidyl ether; polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether; glycidyl ester ether of p-hydroxy benzoic acid; 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether; terephthalic acid diglycidyl ester, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the metal oxide functions as a chemical catalyst, photo catalyst or electrical catalyst. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one further substance is suspended in, or is a liquid solution. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 11  and further comprising water or an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the polyether amine is hydrophilic and the polyglycidyl ether is hydrophilic prior to curing.