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Synthesis and micellar characterization of thermosensitive amphiphilic poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) block copolymers

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Abstract

Poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PCL-b-PVCL) block copolymers were synthesized as new biocompatible, thermosensitive, amphiphilic block polymers by a combination of ring-opening polymerization and reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and their thermosensitive micellar behavior was examined. The PCL macro-chain-transfer agent was first synthesized by converting the end group of PCL-OH to O-ethyl xanthate, which was subsequently used for the RAFT polymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam. The critical micelle concentration of PCL-b-PVCL (M n,NMR = 56,300 g/mol, polydispersity index = 1.18) was 0.026 mg/mL. The mean diameter of the PCL-b-PVCL micelles determined by transmission electron microscopy was 55 ± 25 nm. The PCL-b-PVCL micelles exhibited repetitive aggregation and dispersion during reversible cooling and heating cycles between 20 and 40 °C due to the thermosensitive behavior of the PVCL shell. Overall, the PCL-b-PVCL block copolymers have potential applications in thermosensitive drug delivery applications.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) grant funded by the Korean Government (MEST) (R11-2005-065) through the Intelligent Textile System Research Center (ITRC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Advanced Fiber Engineering, Division of Nano-Systems Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751, South Korea

    Young Chang Yu, Hyun Uk Kang & Ji Ho Youk

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  1. Young Chang Yu
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  2. Hyun Uk Kang
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  3. Ji Ho Youk
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Correspondence to Ji Ho Youk.

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Yu, Y.C., Kang, H.U. & Youk, J.H. Synthesis and micellar characterization of thermosensitive amphiphilic poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) block copolymers. Colloid Polym Sci 290, 1107–1113 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-012-2630-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-012-2630-1

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