Super-Resolution Imaging of Spatial Heterogeneities in Model Thermosensitive Hydrogels with Implications for Their Origins

Three-dimensional nanoscale cross-link density variations are an important and incompletely understood morphological aspect of polymer gels. Here, within the context of establishing a deeper understanding of these so-called spatial heterogeneities, we study the spatial distribution of dye-tagged acrylamide monomers in bulk thermosensitive PNIPAM gels using a combination of 3D STED and multicolor confocal microscopy. We identify consistent...