PEG-based methacrylate tetrablock terpolymers: how does the architecture control the gelation?
File(s)
Author(s)
Constantinou, Anna P
Zhang, Kaiwen
Somuncuoğlu, Birsen
Feng, Bailin
Georgiou, Theoni K
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
An ABCA tetrablock terpolymer with excellent thermogelling properties in aqueous solutions has been identified by tuning the architecture of ethylene glycol-based tetrablock terpolymers. Specifically, it gels at concentrations as low as 5 wt % at a wide range of temperatures, including body temperature. Nine tetrablock copolymers based on hydrophilic oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate with average molar mass (MM) 300 g mol–1 (OEGMA300, A), hydrophobic n-butyl methacrylate (BuMA, B), and hydrophilic and thermoresponsive di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (DEGMA, C) were synthesized and screened. The MM and composition were kept constant, while the tetrablock architecture was systematically varied. Specifically, copolymers with (i) two OEGMA300 blocks (ABCA, ABAC, and ACAB), (ii) two BuMA blocks (BACB, BABC, and ABCB), and (iii) two DEGMA blocks (CABC, CACB, and ACBC) were fabricated. The self-assembly and thermoresponsive properties of their aqueous solutions were investigated with the polymer architecture governing their solubility, micellization, thermoresponsive, and rheological properties.
Date Issued
2021-07-13
Date Acceptance
2021-06-07
Citation
Macromolecules, 2021, 54 (13), pp.6511-6524
ISSN
0024-9297
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Start Page
6511
End Page
6524
Journal / Book Title
Macromolecules
Volume
54
Issue
13
Copyright Statement
© 2021 American Chemical Society. This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Macromolecules, after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see ttps://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00349
Sponsor
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
Identifier
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00349
Grant Number
EP/R511547/1
MMRE_P75852
Subjects
03 Chemical Sciences
09 Engineering
Polymers
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
acs.macromol.1c00349
Date Publish Online
2021-06-16