I am searching for a thermoresponsive polymer with a phase transition temperature (e.g. melting point, glass transition temperature) close to 37 degrees Celsius (+/-5 degrees Celsius). The polymer should be solid at room temperature, and ideally should be biodegradable. I have searched on supplier websites and of course Google, but I am not satisfied with the efficiency of my search. What is the best way to search for candidates (based on literature alone), or can you suggest any such polymer?
Thanks in advance.
Hi,
Keng Wooi Ng
Temperature responsive polymers have ability to exhibit physiochemical or mechanical changes in presence of small temperature difference and show a phase transition at certain temperature, which cause sudden change in the solvation state. The temperature at which polymer becomes insoluble upon heating is called lower critical solution temperature (LCST). It becomes soluble upon heating is called upper critical solution temperature (UCST). The phase transition of polymer-solvent mixture is the transition from one phase to another involving mutual rearrangement of polymer molecules and its thermodynamic properties. Examples of temperature responsive polymers are poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), poly (N,N-diethylacrylamide), poly(methyl vinyl ether), poly(N-vinylcaprolactam), PEO-b-PPO having LCST Value 32oC, 33oC, 37oC, 33oC and 29-85oC. PAAm/PAAc IPN having UCST 25oC. You can tune LCST & UCST value of temperature responsive polymers according to your requirement by introducing hydrophilic or hydrophobic monomers. Basically sensitivity of polymers depends balancing between hydrophobic-hydrophilic meiotie of polymer chains. You can used poly (methyl vinyl ether) with LCST 37oC as it fulfilled your requirements and I am suggesting you go through this literature K. F. Arndt, T. Schmidt, R. Reichelt, Polymer, 42:6785 (2001), L. M. Mikheeva, N. V. Grinberg, A.Y. Mashkevich, V. Y. Grinberg, L. T. M. Thanh, E. E. Makhaeva, A. R. Khokhlov, Macromolecules, 30: 2693 (1997).
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