The effect of vacuum drying vs. ambient drying on the nanostructural, mechanical, and rheological properties of PEGDA hydrogels

Zulkifli, Ahmad Akid and Mohd Zaki, Syazwani and Serati, Flora (2025) The effect of vacuum drying vs. ambient drying on the nanostructural, mechanical, and rheological properties of PEGDA hydrogels. Semarak International Journal of Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 7 (1). pp. 43-52. ISSN 3030-5314

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Abstract

Drying is a critical yet often overlooked step in the synthesis of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), as it governs solvent removal, polymer chain organization, and ultimately the structural and mechanical properties of the resulting hydrogel. In this study, PEGDA was synthesized through an acrylation reaction, purified via sequential washing and filtration, and subsequently subjected to two distinct drying methods: ambient drying and vacuum drying at 35 °C. The dried PEGDA powders were then photo-crosslinked using IRGACURE 1173 to form hydrogels for comparative analysis. Results revealed that the vacuum-dried PEGDA exhibited superior structural uniformity and mechanical strength, producing nanoparticles with an average diameter of 4.6 nm as measured by DLS. The corresponding hydrogel displayed a Young’s modulus of 7.1 kPa, nearly double that of the ambient-dried sample (3.9 kPa). Rheological analysis further confirmed a fourfold increase in crossover stress (G′ = G″) for vacuum-dried PEGDA (34.5 kPa) compared to the ambient-dried counterpart (8.7 kPa), signifying enhanced elasticity and network integrity. These findings highlight that controlled vacuum drying significantly improves polymer uniformity and crosslinking efficiency, providing a simple yet effective strategy for optimizing PEGDA hydrogels in advanced applications such as solar vapor generation and water purification.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Polymer Hydrogel, PEGDA Hydrogels, Solar Vapor Generation, Polyaniline, Drying Technique
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General) T Technology > T Technology (General) > T173.2 Technological change T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery T Technology > TP Chemical technology T Technology > TP Chemical technology > TP1080 Polymers, plastics and their manufacture
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Engineering > Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering Kulliyyah of Engineering
Depositing User:	Dr Syazwani Mohd Zaki
Date Deposited:	18 Dec 2025 09:19
Last Modified:	18 Dec 2025 09:19
Queue Number:	2025-12-Q650
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/125355

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