The first examples of amphiphilic, thermoresponsive hyperbranched block copolymers, consisting of blocks of temperature responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA), were synthesized using RAFT-mediated self-condensing vinyl polymerization (SCVP). The polymers are created from PNIPAM or PDMA macro chain transfer monomers (CTM), which are chain extended with DMA or NIPAM, respectively, to afford the hyperbranched block copolymers via SCVP. Polymer composition as well as degrees of branching were controlled through the reaction stoichiometry and the length of the macro CTM. The final polymers show cloudpoints that are influenced by polymer composition and DB, serving as a tunable system to design polymers with a desired cloudpoint. Temperature induced self-assembly above the cloudpoint was demonstrated by dynamic light scattering (DLS).

Thermoresponsive hyperbranched block copolymers via RAFT self-condensing vinyl polymerization

255th National Meeting (2018)

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