The synthesis and temperature/pH-sensitive behavior research of PDMAEMA via ATRP

Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)was synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization(ATRP),and spectrophotometric and swelling ratio(SR)were employed to assess the pH and temperature sensitive behaviors of the resulting PDMAEMA,respectively.When the pH of solution is lower than pKa,the polymer chains were stretched without phase change.Whereas,part of polymer chains were precipitated due to the deprotonation of PDMAEMA,and low critical solution temperature(LCST)decreases with the increasing pH.Also,the equilibrium swelling ratio(ESR)is reduced with the increase of both pH and temperature.All these evidence illustrated that PDMAEMA polymer has obvious pH and temperature sensitive behaviors.