Effect of glutaraldehyde and carbonyl iron concentration on the structure of gelatin-based ferrogels

Three sets of gelatin-glutaraldehyde hydrogels and ferrogels have been synthesized and studied using Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) and, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Cross-linker (viz. glutaraldehyde) and dopant (viz. carbonyl iron) concentrations are found to affect the correlation length and water content of the samples. The basic network structure of the hydrogels and ferrogels is similar. The carbonyl iron particles are not chemically bonded to the network but are dispersed across it. Their presence causes re-arrangement of the cross-links and polymer segments in the ferrogels.