Light Dose-Dependent Thickness Control of Photoacid Generator-Bearing Hydrogel.

Blue light-responsive photoacid generator (PAG) was pendant to poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) gel which bound on a glass plate. The gel was compressed in thickness direction by natural drying and then was irradiated with blue light. Reswelling of the gel in water was suppressed at irradiated area with a dose-dependent effect. The results were probably due to formation of additional crosslinkng of polymer network by blue light-irradiation at dry state. By using the PAG-bearing gel, a microfluidic device was fabricated in which microchannel was formed by light irradiation and subsequent water filling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]