Homopolymer and ABC Triblock Copolymer Mixtures for Thermoresponsive Gel Formulations

Our group has recently invented a novel series of thermoresponsive ABC triblock terpolymers based on oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate with average Mn 300 g mol‒1 (OEGMA300, A unit), n-butyl methacrylate (BuMA, B unit) and di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (DEGMA, C unit) with excellent thermogelling properties. In this study, we investigate how the addition of OEGMA300x homopolymers of varying molar mass (MM) affects the gelation characteristics of the best performing ABC triblock terpolymer. Interestingly, the gelation is not disrupted by the addition of the homopolymers, with the gelation temperature (Tgel) remaining stable at around 30 °C, depending on the MM and content in OEGMA300x homopolymer. Moreover, stronger gels are formed when higher MM OEGMA300x homopolymers are added, presumably due to the homopolymer chains acting as bridges between the micelles formed by the triblock terpolymer, thus, favouring gelation. In summary, novel formulations based on mixtures of triblock copolymer and homopolymers are presented, which can provide a cost-effective alternative for use in biomedical applications, compared to the use of the triblock copolymer only.

Self- and dis-assembly behavior of segmented wormlike nanostructures from an ABC triblock copolymer

Herein, PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO could self-assemble to form a kind of segmented wormlike nanostructures. Two formation mechanisms were observed. Moreover, such segmented wormlike nanostructures disassembled gradually when increasing the temperature.

A pH and UCST thermo-responsive tri-block copolymer (PAA-b-PDMA-b-P(AM-co-AN)) with micellization and gelatinization in aqueous media for drug release

A brand new pH and thermo-responsive amphiphilic ABC triblock copolymer of poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide)-block-poly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile) (PAA-b-PDMA-b-P(AM-co-AN)) was applied as drug carrier systems.

Cluster–Micelle Transition of a Thermo- and Photoresponsive ABC Triblock Copolymer in an Ionic Liquid

We report the photocontrollable micelle–cluster transition of an ABC-type triblock copolymer in an ionic liquid (IL). Polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(4-phenylazobenzyl acrylamide-r-N-isopropylacrylamide) (PSt-b-PEO-b-P(AzoBnAm-r-NIPAm)) was synthesised, where PSt is IL-phobic, PEO is IL-philic, and P(AzoBnAm-r-NIPAm) is photo- and thermoresponsive in the IL. At high temperatures, the triblock copolymer forms micelles with PSt cores; furthermore, at low temperatures, micelles self-assemble into clusters induced by the aggregation of P(AzoBnAm-r-NIPAm). Under UV irradiation, the micelles form clusters at lower temperatures than that in the dark because of the change in the solubility of P(AzoBnAm-r-NIPAm) induced by photoisomerisation of the azobenzene groups, indicating that this triblock copolymer has a photocontrollable micelle–cluster transition temperature.

Synthesis and pH-responsive dissociation of framboidal ABC triblock copolymer vesicles in aqueous solution

A series of framboidal ABC triblock copolymer vesicles were prepared from precursor diblock copolymer vesicles via RAFT seeded emulsion polymerisation and their acid-induced dissociation was characterised by SAXS.