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Synthesis and solution properties of a temperature-responsive PNIPAM–b-PDMS–b-PNIPAM triblock copolymer

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Abstract

In this paper, we report the synthesis and self-assembly of a novel thermoresponsive PNIPAM60–b-PDMS70–b-PNIPAM60 triblock copolymer in aqueous solution. The copolymer used a commercially available precursor modified with an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator to produce an ABA triblock copolymer via ATRP. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to shed light on the structures of nanoparticles formed in aqueous solutions of this copolymer at two temperatures, 25 and 40 °C. The poly(dimethylsiloxane) block is very hydrophobic and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is thermoresponsive. SANS data at 25 °C indicates that the solutions of PNIPAM–b-PDMS–b-PNIPAM copolymers form well-defined aggregates with presumably core–shell structures below cloud point temperature. The scattering curves originating from nanoparticles formed at 40 °C in 100% D2O or 100% H2O were successfully fitted with the Beaucage model describing aggregates with hierarchical structure.

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Acknowledgements

S.F. acknowledges the Czech Science Foundation Grant No. 15-10527J. Institute Laue–Langevin is acknowledged for beam time allocation. This work was also supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of CR within the National Sustainability Program I (Project POLYMAT LO1507). We acknowledge Isabelle Grillo, ILL, France, for help with the data treatment. The work was supported within the program of Large Infrastructures for Research, Experimental Development and Innovation (Project No. LM2015050) and research project LG14037 financed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Czech Republic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy & Research Centre in Topical Drug Delivery and Toxicology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK

    Michael T. Cook

  2. Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, AS CR, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, Prague 6, 162 06, Prague, Czech Republic

    Sergey K. Filippov

  3. School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 224, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AD, UK

    Vitaliy V. Khutoryanskiy

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  1. Michael T. Cook
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Correspondence to Michael T. Cook or Sergey K. Filippov.

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Cook, M.T., Filippov, S.K. & Khutoryanskiy, V.V. Synthesis and solution properties of a temperature-responsive PNIPAM–b-PDMS–b-PNIPAM triblock copolymer. Colloid Polym Sci 295, 1351–1358 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-017-4084-y

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