Polymers with molecular weight dependent LCSTs are essential for cooperative behaviour

• DOI: 10.1039/c2py00604a
• Publication Date: 2012-01-23T09:31:02Z
• Authors: Nga Sze Ieong; Muhammad Hasan; Daniel J. Phillips; Yussif Saaka; Rachel K. O'Reilly; Matthew I. Gibson
• Keywords: Transition temperature

The potential to fine-tune the transition temperatures of polymers displaying lower-critical solution (LCST) by a simple mixing strategy is investigated. Using panel four distinct polymer classes (poly[oligo(ethyleneglycol)methacrylate], poly(N-vinylpiperidone), poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)) it was shown that only those with strong molecular weight dependent LCSTs produced single, cooperative, when blended together. Furthermore, actual temperature linked average not number weight. which did show molecular-weight-LCST correlation poly(oligo(ethyleneglycol)methacrylate), showed two independent transitions, one for each polymer.