New route to smart core-shell polymeric microgels: Synthesis and properties

Man Fai Leung, Junmin Zhu, Frank W. Harris, Pei Li

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

78 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A new method has been developed to prepare smart polymeric microgels that consist of well-defined temperature-sensitive cores with pH-sensitive shells. The microgels were obtained directly from aqueous graft copolymerizations of N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N-methylenebisacrylamide from water-soluble polymers containing amino groups such as poly(ethyleneimine) and chitosan. The gel diameters ranged from 300 to 400 nm. The unique core-shell nanostructures, which had narrow size distributions, exhibited tuneable responses to pH and temperature.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1819-1823
Number of pages5
JournalMacromolecular Rapid Communications
Volume25
Issue number21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Nov 2004

Keywords

  • Core-shell polymers
  • Graft copolymers
  • Microgels
  • pH-sensitive
  • Thermal properties

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics

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