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pH/Thermosensitive Hydrogels Formed at Low pH by a PMMA‐PAA‐P2VP‐PAA‐PMMA Pentablock Terpolymer
Author(s) -
Stavrouli Nikoletta,
Katsampas Ilias,
Aggelopoulos Sotirios,
Tsitsilianis Constantinos
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.200700593
Subject(s) - copolymer , acrylic acid , polymer chemistry , monomer , methyl methacrylate , polyelectrolyte , materials science , self healing hydrogels , polymerization , aqueous solution , methacrylate , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material
A poly(methyl methacrylate)‐ block ‐poly(acrylic acid)‐ block ‐poly(2‐vinyl pyridine)‐ block ‐poly(acrylic acid)‐ block ‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA‐PAA‐P2VP‐PAA‐PMMA), pentablock terpolymer has been synthesized by anionic polymerization with sequential addition of monomers and studied in aqueous media at low pH. The system exhibits combined properties and adopts the behavior of ‘telechelic’ polyelectrolytes and that of double hydrophilic polyampholytes. This complex behavior leads to the pentablock terpolymer forming a pH and temperature sensitive reversible hydrogel at very low polymer concentration.