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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 January 2019
Hydrogels made of sodium 2-acrylamide-2-methypropanesulfonate were synthesized with the goal of creating a polymer for tissue engineering applications. The hydrogels were doped with silver nanoparticles to create hydrogel/Ag with possible antibacterial properties. We varied the weight/volume percentage of Laponite from 3 to 10 w/v% to alter the rheological properties of the hydrogels. Raman spectroscopy was used to study the progress of the chemical reaction at different polymerization times under ultraviolet radiation. By comparing the changes in the intensities of the Raman bands corresponding to C=C and C–C bonds with reaction time, we found that the optimal polymerization time to obtain chains of poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonate) was 3 to 4 h. Characterization of the hydrogels with scanning electron microscopy indicated pore sizes of 1 to 6 µm.