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Synthesis and Aggregation Behavior of Multi‐Responsive Double Hydrophilic ABC Miktoarm Star Terpolymer
Author(s) -
Zhang Yanfeng,
Liu Hao,
Hu Jinming,
Li Changhua,
Liu Shiyong
Publication year - 2009
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.200800820
Subject(s) - copolymer , atom transfer radical polymerization , micelle , polymer chemistry , ethylene glycol , methacrylate , aqueous solution , materials science , polymerization , radical polymerization , chemistry , organic chemistry , polymer
We report the first example of the synthesis and the “schizophrenic” micellization behavior of a multi‐responsive double hydrophilic ABC miktoarm star terpolymer. A well‐defined miktoarm star terpolymer consisting of poly(ethylene glycol), poly(2‐(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), and poly( N ‐isopropylacrylamide) arms, PEG(‐ b ‐PDEA)‐ b ‐PNIPAM, was synthesized via the combination of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and click reaction. Containing pH‐responsive PDEA and thermo‐responsive PNIPAM arms, this novel type of miktoarm star terpolymer molecularly dissolves in aqueous solution at acidic pH and room temperature, but supramolecularly self‐assembles into PDEA‐core micelles at alkaline pH and room temperature, and PNIPAM‐core micelles at acidic pH and elevated temperatures. Most importantly, both types of micellar aggregates possess well‐solvated hybrid coronas.