Crowding effects on the structure and rheology of ultrasoft PNIPAM-PEGMA copolymer microgels
We investigate the link between the internal microstructure of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PNIPAM-PEGMA) microgels, their bulk moduli and the rheological response and structural arrangement in dense suspensions. The low degree of crosslinking combined with the increased hydrophilicity induced by the presence of PEGMA results in a diffuse, star-like