Effect of nature of chemical crosslinker on swelling and solubility parameter of a new stimuli-responsive cationic poly(N-acryloyl-N′-propyl piperazine) hydrogel

New stimuli-responsive cationic hydrogels based on N-acryloyl-N′-propyl piperazine (AcrNPP) were prepared using two types of chemical crosslinkers, viz., N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (Mba) and 1,4-butanediol diacrylate (Bda), respectively. The solubility parameter of the hydrogels was evaluated by equilibrium swelling experiment in a series of twelve solvents with well-distributed range of solubility parameters. The hydrogels exhibited maximum equilibrium swelling ratio in 1-butanol. The experimental swelling data were analyzed by two methods, (1) non-linear curve fitting and (2) least-square regression to determine the solubility parameter of the hydrogels. The solubility parameter determined by the two methods was in the range 11.45–11.85 (cal cm⁻³)^1/2. The solubility parameter of the hydrogel containing the hydrophilic crosslinker (Mba) was higher than the hydrogel with a hydrophobic crosslinker (Bda), in all cases. This showed that the nature of chemical crosslinker influences the swelling and thus the solubility parameter of the hydrogels. The partial solubility parameter of the hydrogels related to the cohesive energy was evaluated by plotting the equilibrium swelling data against dispersion forces, polar forces, and hydrogen bonding. It was observed that both polar forces and hydrogen bonding play an important role in the swelling of these cationic hydrogels. The solubility parameter and the related forces were also estimated theoretically using group contribution methods and compared with the experimental results.