Issue 32, 2012

Preparation of stimuli responsive polycaprolactone membranes of controllable porous morphology via combined atom transfer radical polymerization, ring-opening polymerization and thiol–yne click chemistry

Abstract

Linear di-block copolymers of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) with a center disulfide linkage were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) using a bifunctional disulfide-based initiator. The center disulfide bond was cleaved by reduction with excess DL-1,4-dithiothreitol (DTT) to form thiols. The resulting thiol-terminated PNIPAM chains were conjugated to alkyne-terminated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) via UV-initiated thiol–yne click reaction to produce the PCL-click-PNIPAM AB2-type copolymers. The PCL-click-PNIPAM copolymers were cast by phase inversion in an aqueous medium into microporous membranes of well-defined and uniform pores. The PNIPAM content in the PCL-click-PNIPAM copolymers could be used to control the pore size and porosity of the resulting membranes. The PCL-click-PNIPAM-b-PNaSS membrane was prepared via surface-initiated ATRP of sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (NaSS) from the PCL-click-PNIPAM membrane and pore surfaces. The temperature and electrolyte responsive characteristics of the PCL-click-PNIPAM and PCL-click-PNIPAM-b-PNaSS membranes were illustrated in the swelling behavior and controlled glucose transport through the membranes. These stimuli responsive membranes with controllable morphology and low cytotoxicity have potential applications in biomedical engineering, drug delivery and tissue engineering.

Graphical abstract: Preparation of stimuli responsive polycaprolactone membranes of controllable porous morphology via combined atom transfer radical polymerization, ring-opening polymerization and thiol–yne click chemistry

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
28 May 2012
Accepted
25 Jun 2012
First published
11 Jul 2012

J. Mater. Chem., 2012,22, 16248-16258

Preparation of stimuli responsive polycaprolactone membranes of controllable porous morphology via combined atom transfer radical polymerization, ring-opening polymerization and thiol–yne click chemistry

T. Cai, M. Li, K. Neoh and E. Kang, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 16248 DOI: 10.1039/C2JM33419D

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Spotlight

Advertisements