A new type of thermosensitive polymer: poly(n-isopropyl-acrylamide) with hydrolyzable lactic acid ester side groups

摘要

Temperature sensitive polymers, particularly poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly(NIPAAm)) and its copolymers, are interesting materials for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications~1-4. Poly-NIPAAm exhibits a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in aqueous solutions, meaning that it is highly water soluble below its LCST, but precipitates above this temperature. The LCST of poly-NIPAAm reported in literature is 30-34 deg C. Random copolymerization of NIPAAm with hydrophilic comonomers yields copolymers with an increased LCST, whereas random copolymerization of NIPAAm with hydrophobic comonomers yields copolymers with a decreased LCST.