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Thermoresponsive copolymers: from fundamental studies to applications

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Abstract

Thermoresponsive copolymers have attracted considerable interest in both the polymer and biomaterial literature. They show interesting fundamental behaviour (thermally triggered contraction and aggregation) as well as potentially useful properties (reversible gelation). Biocompatible thermoresponsive copolymers are being developed for application in drug delivery and regenerative medicine. This review focuses on the fundamental aspects of thermally triggered conformational changes with an emphasis on copolymer design. Also, the ability to use these copolymers to produce thermoresponsive colloidal dispersions is discussed. Recent examples from within our group and elsewhere are considered in order to illustrate structure–property relationships. The review focuses on copolymers involving N-isopropylacrylamide. However, non-acrylamide thermoresponsive copolymers are also considered in detail. Emerging areas that appear likely to be actively pursued in the future are also discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the EPSRC for funding the work performed on thermoresponsive copolymers at Manchester. We are grateful to the referees for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polymer Science and Technology Group, The School of Materials, The University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester, M1 7HS, UK

    Ruixue Liu, Michael Fraylich & Brian R. Saunders

  2. School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, People’s Republic of China

    Ruixue Liu

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  1. Ruixue Liu
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Liu, R., Fraylich, M. & Saunders, B.R. Thermoresponsive copolymers: from fundamental studies to applications. Colloid Polym Sci 287, 627–643 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-009-2028-x

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