Responsive tertiary amine methacrylate block copolymers: uncovering temperature-induced shape-shifting behaviour

Abstract

Responsive polymeric nanoparticles are an exciting field of study, yet little is known about the temperature sensitivity of those based on tertiary amine methacrylate block copolymers. This study aims to address this gap by exploiting the properties of dual-responsive amphiphilic block copolymers. Here, we investigate the fabrication of self-assembled polymeric nanoparticles using block copolymers containing tertiary amine methacrylate building blocks and their ability to undergo a reversible morphological transformation upon changes in pH and temperature. Our findings demonstrate the ability to change the morphology after adjusting temperature, lock their various intermediate self-assembly structures through cross-liking, and a combination of analytical tools to validate morphology transition, opening up new options for responsive nanocarriers.