Hydrophobic aggregation in a hydrophobized poly(acrylic acid) gel subjected to microphase separation

Using, the NMR and UV spectroscopy techniques, it is shown that the rearrangement of the microstructure of microphase separated hydrogels of hydrophobized poly(acrylic acid), which is affected by the introduction of charged groups, is not accompanied by the degradation of hydrophobic aggregates. Based on these data and on small-angle neutron scattering results, a scheme is proposed for the charge-induced structural rearrangement of the gels.