Production of Polyacrylic Acid Homo‐ and Copolymer Films by Electrochemically Induced Free‐Radical Polymerization: Preparation and Swelling Behavior

Abstract
Films of polyacrylic acid hydrogels were produced on a conducting substrate by means of electrochemically initiated polymerization (EIP). An electro-chemical quartz crystal microbalance was used to monitor film growth in situ. Homopolymer and copolymer films of polyacrylic acid and poly-N-isopropylacrylamide were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. The degree of swelling of these films could be tuned via the pH.