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Tunable thermoresponsive β‐cyclodextrin‐based star polymers
Author(s) -
Vrijsen Jeroen Hendrik,
Van de Reydt Emma,
Junkers Tanja
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2642-4169
pISSN - 2642-4150
DOI - 10.1002/pol.20200634
Subject(s) - cyclodextrin , star (game theory) , star polymer , polymer , polymer chemistry , polymer science , chemistry , materials science , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , copolymer , physics , engineering , astrophysics
Thermoresponsive star polymers were synthesized by copolymerization of water‐soluble acrylate monomers, di(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether acrylate (DEGA) and 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA), in a core‐first approach using a modified β‐cyclodextrin multifunctional initiator and photo‐mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (photoATRP). The controlled character of the polymerization, as well as the formation of statistical star copolymers, was demonstrated. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) is conveniently tuned by varying the ratio of the two hydrophilic monomers. The cyclodextrin core appears to lead to a lowering of the LCST, and introduction of a hydrophobic pocket via star block copolymer synthesis allowed for further tunability of the cloud point temperature. In the final step, we demonstrate that the star polymers made in here can be used as facile carriers and solubilizers for hydrophobic compounds, highlighting their applicability in the biomedical field.