UCST-Type Copolymer through the Combination of Water-Soluble Polyacrylamide and Polycaprolactone-Like Polyester.

ABSTRACT

Copolymers of acrylamide (AAm) and hydrophobic monomers are known as non-ionic polymers to show an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in aqueous solution. By utilizing cyclic ketene acetals and carrying out the radical ring opening polymerization along with copolymerization with AAm, a UCST polymer, poly(acrylamide-co-2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane) (P(AAm-co-MDO)), is obtained. The AAm/MDO content results in the shift of UCST phase transition temperature. The present work shows how the combination of water-soluble PAAm and polycaprolactone-like structured PMDO develops a new type of thermoresponsive polymer which can be expected for bio-related applications.