THE DIFFUSION APPROACH TO DESCRIPTION OF SWELLING OF POLYELECTROLYTE HYDROGELS

The mechanism of swelling of strongly charged polyelectrolyte hydrogel is interpreted in terms of diffusion approach. The electrostatic comp onent of swelling pressure is considered for hydrogels with uniform an d non-uniform charge density of the network. In the framework of the a pproach proposed, the inhomogeneity of the density of network charge i n near-boundary layer of the gel results in a change of its swelling p ressure.