*2.3.2. SEM Observation of the gels*

Two samples were prepared in the following way. The microphase-separated gel cylinders were cut into pieces and soaked in acid (pH= 2) and base (pH = 11) solutions for 1 day until reaching the equilibrium. Then the gels were quickly frozen in liquid nitrogen and freezedried under vacuum for 1 day. The freeze-dried samples were fixed on the aluminum stubs and coated with the gold for 30 s under vacuum. The gel network structures were observed by the SEM (scanning electron microscope, HITACHI S2500CX).

### *2.3.3. Measurement of phase transition kinetics*

In our measurement of the gels kinetics, two acid-base solutions with low and high pH (pH = 2 and pH = 11) were used. A piece of cylindrical gel under the equilibrium swelling in one solution was transferred quickly into the other. The changes of the cylindrical gel diameters were monitored by using a microscope equipped with a CCD camera controlled by a computer. The obtained images were analyzed by image processing software.
