The regulation of ethanol in reaction medium on the properties of nanogels prepared by photopolymerization at 532 nm

Nanogels with a unique three-dimensional structure have wide applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery. In this study, polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) nanogels were prepared by photopolymerization under the irradiation of 532 nm laser using a mixture of ethanol and water as the solvent. The reaction parameters including laser power and stirring speed were systematically investigated. Since the amphiphilic PEGDA self-emulsifies to form micelles in water, the regulation of ethanol content in reaction medium can tune the size and morphology of nanogels. Based on these, the photopolymerization mechanism of PEGDA in aqueous solution of ethanol was proposed.