Stereocomplex Mediated Gelation of PEG-(PLA)2 and PEG-(PLA)8 Block Copolymers

Stereocomplex mediated hydrogels have been prepared by mixing solutions of polymers of opposite chirality of either PEG-(PLA)₂ triblock copolymers or PEG-(PLA)₈ star block copolymers. The critical gel concentrations of the mixed enantiomer solutions were considerably lower compared to polymer solutions containing only the single enantiomer. Moreover, gel-sol transition temperatures were increased and gel regions were expanded due to stereocomplexation. Rheology measurements showed that stereocomplexed hydrogels based on PEG-(PLA)₈ have higher storage moduli compared to those based on PEG-(PLA)₂. Stereocomplexed hydrogels prepared from 13 wt% PEG-(PLA)₂ solutions in PBS showed a storage modulus of 0.9 kPa at 37 °C, while at similar conditions stereocomplexed hydrogels of PEG-(PLA)₈ showed a storage modulus of 1.9 kPa at 10 wt%.     

Phase‐transition characteristics of amphiphilic poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline)/poly(ε‐caprolactone) block copolymers in aqueous solutions

Amphiphilic diblock and triblock copolymers of various block compositions based on hydrophilic poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEtOz) and hydrophobic poly(ε‐caprolactone) were synthesized. The micelle formation of these block copolymers in aqueous media was confirmed by a fluorescence technique and dynamic light scattering. The critical micelle concentrations ranged from 35.5 to 4.6 mg/L for diblock copolymers and 4.7 to 9.0 mg/L for triblock copolymers, depending on the block composition. The phase‐transition behaviors of the block copolymers in concentrated aqueous solutions were investigated. When the temperature was increased, aqueous solutions of diblock and triblock copolymers exhibited gel–sol transition and precipitation, both of which were thermally reversible. The gel–sol transition‐ and precipitation temperatures were manipulated by adjustment of the block composition. As the hydrophobic portion of block copolymers became higher, a larger gel region was generated. In the presence of sodium chloride, the phase transitions were shifted to a lower temperature level. Sodium thiocyanate displaced the gel region and precipitation temperatures to a higher temperature level. The low molecular weight saccharides, such as glucose and maltose, contributed to the shift of phase‐transition temperatures to a lower temperature level, where glucose was more effective than maltose in lowering the gel–sol transition temperatures. The malonic acid that formed hydrogen bonds with the PEtOz shell of micelles was effective in lowering phase‐transition temperatures to 1.0M, above which concentration the block copolymer solutions formed complex precipitates. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 2400–2408, 2000     

Synthesis and gelation properties of PEG-PLA-PEG triblock copolymers obtained by coupling monohydroxylated PEG-PLA with adipoyl chloride

Ring-opening polymerization of D,L-lactide was carried out in the presence of monohydroxylated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with Mn of 2000 and 5000, using zinc powder as catalyst. The resulting PEG-b-polylactide (PEG-PLA) diblocks with various ethylene oxide/lactyl (EO/LA) ratios were coupled with adipoyl chloride to yield PEG-PLA-PEG triblock copolymers. N-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) was used as catalyst. The obtained PEG-PLA-PEG triblock copolymers were characterized by various analytical techniques such as IR, 1H NMR, size exclusion chromatography, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Data showed that all the copolymers were semicrystalline with the PEG-type crystalline structure, the crystallinity decreasing with increasing PLA block length. Bioresorbable hydrogels were prepared from the water-soluble triblock copolymers. Rheological measurements showed a gel-sol transition with increasing temperature and gelation was found to be thermoreversible. The copolymer solution behaves like a viscoelastic liquid above the gel point and like a viscoelastic solid below the gel point. The critical gelation concentration, the gel-sol transition temperature at a given concentration, and corresponding moduli depend on both the EO/LA ratio and the molecular weight of the copolymers. It is assumed that gelation results from interactions between PEG blocks at low temperatures and that these interactions are disrupted as the temperature is elevated. The shrinking of PEG blocks with increasing temperature seems to be in agreement with the variation of the gel-sol transition temperatures.     

Thermoresponsive amphiphilic symmetrical triblock copolymers with a hydrophilic middle block made of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide): synthesis, self-organization, and hydrogel formation

Several series of symmetrical triblock copolymers were synthesized by the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer method. They consist of a long block of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) as hydrophilic, thermoresponsive middle block, which is end-capped by two small strongly hydrophobic blocks made from five different vinyl polymers. The association of the amphiphilic polymers was studied in dilute and concentrated aqueous solution. The polymer micelles found at low concentrations form hydrogels at high concentrations, typically above 30–35 wt.%. Hydrogel formation and the thermosensitive rheological behavior were studied exemplarily for copolymers with hydrophobic blocks of polystyrene, poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate), and poly(n-octadecyl acrylate). All systems exhibited a cloud point around 30 °C. Heating beyond the cloud point initially favors hydrogel formation but continued heating results in macroscopic phase separation. The rheological behavior suggests that the copolymers associate into flower-like micelles, with only a small share of polymers that bridge the micelles and act as physical cross-linkers, even at high concentrations.     

Thermo-Responsive Hydrogels Based on Branched Poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol) Copolymers

Summary: Branched poly(L -lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLLA-PEG) block copolymers were synthesized from trifunctional PLLA and amine functionalized methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)s. The copolymers in water formed hydrogels that showed thermo-responsive behavior. The hydrogels underwent a gel to sol transition with increasing temperature as determined with the vial tilting method and oscillatory rheology. For all copolymers, the transition temperature increased with increasing copolymer concentration. The transition temperature of corresponding branched copolymers also increased with increasing PEG molecular weight, and surprisingly decreased with increasing molecular weight of the PLLA branches. In general, the gel-sol transition is explained by disruption of micellar or aggregate interactions because of partial dehydration and shrinkage of the PEG chains. An increase in the molecular weight of the PLLA branches led to the formation of micelles and aggregates as observed with DLS at low concentrations. It is speculated that the non-uniform size distribution and possible crystallization of longer PLLA blocks may have a negative effect on the formation of micellar packing upon gelation, allowing the disruption of micellar or aggregate interactions to occur at lower temperatures. The transition temperature of the gels could be tuned closely to body temperature by varying the concentration of the solution or the molecular weight of the PEG block and the PLLA blocks, which implies that these polymers may be used as injectable systems for in-situ gel formation.     

Thermoreversible gelation of poly(ethylene oxide) biodegradable polyester block copolymers. II

Poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(L-lactic acid) (PEO-PLLA) diblock copolymers were synthesized via a ring opening polymerization from poly(ethylene oxide) and l -lactide. Stannous octoate was used as a catalyst in a solution polymerization with toluene as the solvent. Their physicochemical properties were investigated by using infrared spectroscopy, ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry, as well as the observational data of gel-sol transitions in aqueous solutions. Aqueous solutions of PEO-PLLA diblock copolymers changed from a gel phase to a sol phase with increasing temperature when their polymer concentrations are above a critical gel concentration. As the PLLA block length increased, the gel-sol transition temperature increased. For comparison, diblock copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(l -lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) [PEO-P(LLA/GA)] and poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(dl -lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) [PEO-P(DLLA/GA)] were synthesized by the same methods, and their gel-sol transition behaviors were also investigated. The gel-sol transition properties of these diblock copolymers are influenced by the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the copolymer, block length, hydrophobicity, and stereoregularity of the hydrophobic block of the copolymer. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2207–2218, 1999     

Temperature-induced self-assembly of triple-responsive triblock copolymers in aqueous solutions

A series of triple-thermoresponsive triblock copolymers from poly(N-n-propylacrylamide) (PNPAM, A), poly(methoxydiethylene glycol acrylate) (PMDEGA, B), and poly(N-ethylacrylamide) (PNEAM, C) was synthesized by sequential reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerizations. Polymers of differing block sequences, ABC, BAC, and ACB, with increasing phase transition temperatures in the order A < B < C were prepared. Their aggregation behavior in dilute aqueous solution was investigated using dynamic light scattering, turbidimetry, and NMR spectroscopy. The self-organization of such polymers was found to dependent strongly on the block sequence. While polymers with a terminal low-LCST (lower critical solution temperature) block undergo aggregation above the first phase transition temperature at 20-25 °C, triblock copolymers with the low-LCST block in the middle show aggregation only above the second phase transition. The collapse of the middle block is not sufficient to induce aggregation but produces instead stable, unimolecular micelles with a collapsed middle block, as supported by NMR and fluorescence probe data. Continued heating of all copolymers led to two additional thermal transitions at 40-55 and 70-80 °C, which could be correlated to the phase transitions of the B and C blocks, respectively. All polymers show a high tendency for cluster formation, once aggregation is induced. The carrier abilities of the triple responsive triblock copolymers for hydrophobic agents were probed with the solvatochromic fluorescence dye Nile Red. With passing through the first thermal transition, the block copolymers are capable of solubilizing Nile Red. In the case of block copolymers with sequences ABC or ACB, which bear the low-LCST block at one terminus, notable amounts of dye are solubilized already at this stage. In contrast, the hydrophobic probe is much less efficiently incorporated by the BAC triblock copolymer, which forms unimolecular micelles. Only after the collapse of the B block, when reaching the second phase transition at about 45 °C, does aggregation occur and solubilization becomes efficient. In the case of ABC and ACB polymers, the hydrophobic probe seems to partition between the originally collapsed A chains and the additional hydrophobic chains formed after the collapse of the less hydrophobic B block.     

Thermogelling polymers composed of poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene adipate) and poly(ethylene glycol)

Block copolymers composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrophobic biodegradable polyesters have been reported as thermogelling polymers, because they feature temperature-dependent sol-to-gel or gel-to-sol transitions in aqueous solutions. In this study, a series of thermogelling poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether)-block–poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene adipate)-block–poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether) triblock copolymers and PEG-block–poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene adipate) multiblock copolymers was synthesized by reacting hydroxyl-terminated poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene adipate) (PCA) with poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether) and PEG, respectively, using 1,6-diisocyanatohexane as the coupling agent. Two hydroxyl-terminated PCAs, i.e., poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene adipate) and poly(1,3/1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene adipate), were synthesized by the condensation reaction of adipic acid (AA) with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) and 1,3/1,4-CHDM, respectively, and used as the hydrophobic polyester blocks of these thermogelling copolymers to compare the effect of crystallinity on the sol-to-gel transition behavior.The polymers were characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, solubility testing, and rheological analysis. Experimental results revealed that the structure of the PCA block (crystalline vs. amorphous), the molecular weights of the hydrophobic PCA and hydrophilic PEG blocks, and the type of thermogelling polymer (triblock vs. multiblock) influenced the solubility, polymer micelle packing characteristics, maximum storage modulus, and sol-to-gel temperature of the polymers. Among all the samples at 40 wt.% aqueous solutions, triblock copolymer TB3 showed sol-to-gel temperature at 22 °C, and had the highest maximum storage modulus about 170 Pa.     

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-t-butylacrylamide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-t-butylacrylamide) triblock copolymers: synthesis and thermogelation properties of aqueous solutions

Novel triblock copolymers with PEG middle blocks of 1–10 kDa and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-t-butylacrylamide) statistical copolymer side arms with DP_n?≈?88 and different compositions, were synthesized by SET-LRP. The thermogelation properties of their aqueous solutions depended on both hydrophobic monomer content of the side blocks and molecular weight (MW) of the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) middle block, as proven by dynamic rheometry, DSC, and tube inversion method measurements. At constant PEG chain length, increasing TBAM proportions led to a gelation process occurring at progressively lower temperatures, as well as to a lower stability of the forming hydrogels in the case of shorter-PEG-chain block copolymers. By employing longer PEG blocks (M_PEG ≥6,000 Da), stable hydrogels with the gelation temperature below 37 °C could be obtained. For a constant composition of the copolyacrylamide blocks, the dependence of the phase transition temperature (T_ph) on M_PEG displayed a different shape at different polymer solution concentrations, because of the stronger variation of T_ph with polymer concentration as M_PEG increased. Also, the viscoelastic properties of the hydrogels resulting from 20 wt.% polymer aqueous solutions at 37 °C were stronger affected by the MW of the PEG middle block than by the hydrophobic character of the thermosensitive side blocks.     

Continuous synthesis of CdSe(x)Te(1-x) nanocrystals: chemical composition gradient and single-step capping

Thermosensitive poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymer, Pluronic F68, containing a hydrophobic unit, oligo-(lactic acid)(oligo-LA) or oligo-caprolactone (oligo-CL), 2-META and RGD as side groups was successfully synthesized and characterized by (1)H NMR, FTIR, and elemental analysis. Their aqueous solution displayed special gel-sol-gel phase transition behavior with increasing temperature from 10 to 70°C, when the polymer concentration was above critical micelle concentration (CMC). The gel-sol phase diagram was investigated using tube inversion method, rheological measurement, and dynamic light scattering. Based on these results, the gelation properties of modified F68 were affected by several factors such as the composition of the substituents, chain length of oligo L-LA or oligo ε-CL, and the concentration of the polymer solutions. The unique phase transition behavior with temperature was observed by modified F68 triblock copolymer, composed of the PPO blocks core and the PEO blocks shell in aqueous solution. This phenomenon was elucidated using (1)H NMR data; the alteration of hydrophobic interaction and chain mobility led to the formation of transparent gel, coexistence of gel-sol, and opaque gel. These hydrogels may be useful in drug delivery and tissue engineering.     

Thermoresponsive gels based on ABA triblock copolymers: Does the asymmetry matter?

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the asymmetry of the triblock copolymers on their thermoresponsive self‐assembly behavior. To this end, nine ABA‐type triblock copolymers with n‐butyl methacrylate and 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) consisting of the A and the B blocks, respectively, were synthesized. Polymers of three different DMAEMA contents (50, 60, and 70 wt %) were synthesized while varying the length ratio of the two hydrophobic A blocks. Specifically, one symmetric ABA triblock copolymer and two asymmetric ABA′ triblock copolymers with the length of the second A block to be twice or four times bigger than the length of the first A block (AB2A and AB4A triblock copolymer) were synthesized for each DMAEMA composition. Three statistical copolymers were also synthesized for comparison. The thermoresponsive behavior of the copolymers was studied and it was found that the cloud point and rheological properties of the polymers were strongly affected by the architecture (statistical vs. block) and less strongly by the DMAEMA composition and the asymmetry of the polymers. Nevertheless, interestingly the asymmetry of the ABA triblock copolymers did influence the thermoresponsive behavior with the more symmetric polymers presenting a sol–gel transition at lower temperatures. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2850–2859.     

Glass transition temperature of low molecular weight styrene–isoprene block copolymers

Different series of poly(styrene–isoprene) diblock and poly(styrene–isoprene–styrene) triblock copolymers were prepared. In each series, the low molecular weight polystyrene block was kept constant, and the molecular weight of the polyisoprene block varied. The glass transition behavior of these polymers was studied and their glass transition temperatures compared with those of the random copolymers of styrene and isoprene. It is concluded that some low molecular weight styrene-isoprene block copolymers form a single phase. Krause's thermodynamic treatment of phase separation in block copolymers was applied to the data. One arrives at a polystyrene–polyisoprene interaction parameter χ1,2 ≈ 0.1. The experimental and theoretical limitations of this result are discussed.     

Novel thermoresponsive block copolymers having different architectures—structural,rheological, thermal,and dielectric investigations

Thermoresponsive block copolymers comprising long, hydrophilic, nonionic poly(methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate) (PMDEGA) blocks and short hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) blocks are investigated in aqueous solution. Various architectures, namely diblock, triblock, and starblock copolymers are studied as well as a PMDEGA homopolymer as reference, over a wide concentration range. For specific characterization methods, polymers were labeled, either by partial deuteration (for neutron scattering studies) or by fluorophores. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, critical micellization concentrations are identified and the hydrodynamic radii of the micelles, r _h ^mic , are determined. Using dynamic light scattering, the behavior of r _h ^mic in dependence on temperature and the cloud points are measured. Small-angle neutron scattering enabled the detailed structural investigation of the micelles and their aggregates below and above the cloud point. Viscosity measurements are carried out to determine the activation energies in dependence on the molecular architecture. Differential scanning calorimetry at high polymer concentration reveals the glass transition of the polymers, the fraction of uncrystallized water and effects of the phase transition at the cloud point. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy shows that the polarization changes reversibly at the cloud point, which reflects the formation of large aggregates upon heating through the cloud point and their redissolution upon cooling.     

Design, synthesis, and aqueous aggregation behavior of nonionic single and multiple thermoresponsive polymers

Nonionic water-soluble poly(acrylamide)s and poly(acrylate)s were synthesized by RAFT and ATRP methods. Similar to the synthesized poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidine), aqueous solutions of statistical acrylate copolymers bearing two different oligo(ethylene oxide) side chains showed a sharp clouding transition upon heating beyond characteristic temperatures. The temperature of the cloud point can be easily fine tuned by the copolymer composition. As for poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidine), the cloud-point temperatures of these statistical copolymers are rather insensitive to changes in the molar mass or the NaCl content of the solutions. Also, ternary triblock copolymers containing one permanently hydrophilic block and two different thermoresponsive blocks were synthesized, varying the block sequence systematically. Their aggregation in aqueous solution was followed by turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering. Depending on the heating process and the triblock sequence, micellar aggregates of 40 to 600 nm size were found. The thermally induced aggregation behavior depends sensitively on the block sequence but is also subject to major kinetic effects. For certain block sequences, a thermally induced two-step association is observed when heating beyond the first and second cloud points of the thermoresponsive blocks. However, the thermal-transition temperatures of the block polymers can differ from the thermal-transition temperatures of the individual homopolymers. This may be caused by end-group effects but also by mutual interactions of the different blocks in solution, as physical mixtures of the homopolymers exhibit deviations from a purely additive thermal behavior.     

聚(L-谷氨酸γ-苄酯)-聚四氢呋喃-聚(L-谷氨酸γ-苄酯)三嵌段共聚物的合成与表征

聚氨基酸是一类低毒性、生物相容性良好、易被机体吸收和代谢的可降解合成高分子材料，在药物控释载体、组织工程支架、生物材料表面改性方面得到了广泛应用．但其降解周期及降解速度通常难以控制，应用受到一定限制．通过共聚方法将生物相容和亲水性良好的聚乙二醇（PEG）引入聚氨基酸链段中形成两亲性嵌段共聚物旧，研究其自组装行为，及作为基因转染和药物控释载体等已成为高分子科学领域新的研究热点．     

Influencing the phase transition temperature of poly(methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate) by molar mass,end groups,and polymer architecture

The easily accessible, but virtually overlooked monomer methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate was polymerized by the RAFT method using monofunctional, difunctional, and trifunctional trithiocarbonates to afford thermoresponsive polymers exhibiting lower critical solution temperature‐type phase transitions in aqueous solution. The use of the appropriate RAFT agent allowed for the preparation and systematic variation of polymers with defined molar mass, end‐groups, and architecture, including amphiphilic diblock, symmetrical triblock, and triarm star‐block copolymers, containing polystyrene as permanently hydrophobic constituent. The cloud points (CPs) of the various polymers proved to be sensitive to all varied parameters, namely molar mass, nature, and number of the end‐groups, and the architecture, up to relatively high molar masses. Thus, CPs of the polymers can be adjusted within the physiological interesting range of 20–40 °C. Remarkably, CPs increased with the molar mass, even when hydrophilic end groups were attached to the polymers. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Thermoreversible gelation of poly(ethylene oxide) biodegradable polyester block copolymers

The gel to sol transition of aqueous solutions of di‐ and triblock copolymers consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) and biodegradable polyesters was studied as a function of temperature. The molecular weight and the chemical composition of the biodegradable blocks, (poly(l ‐lactic acid), poly(dl ‐lactic acid), poly(dl ‐lactic acid‐co‐caprolactone), and poly(dl ‐lactic acid‐co‐glycolic acid)) were varied to investigate the effects of chain packing and relative hydrophobicity on the gel to sol transition. The block copolymers studied formed micelles at lower concentrations in water, while the concentrated solutions experienced a gel to sol transition as the temperature increased. Further increase in temperature resulted in the precipitation of polymers. With increasing molecular weight and chain packing tendency of hydrophobic biodegradable block, the gel to sol transition occurred at lower concentrations and the transition temperature ranged from 0°C to over 90°C in a relatively narrow concentration range. The results obtained in this study confirm the relationship between gelation properties and polymer structure, as well as provide more information for these polymers in drug delivery applications. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 751–760, 1999     

Fibrous crystalline hydrogels formed from polymers possessing a linear poly(ethyleneimine) backbone

Novel thermoreversible physical hydrogels formed from polymers with linear and star architectures possessing a linear poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) backbone have been investigated. The hydrogelation occurred simply upon natural cooling of hot aqueous solutions of PEIs to room temperature. The X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements for the resultant hydrogels unambiguously indicated that the hydrogelation originated from the formation of dihydrate crystalline structures of PEI. These crystalline hydrogels are structurally unique and hierarchical. Microscopic images revealed that the morphologies of the crystalline hydrogels depend on their molecular architectures. The linear PEI resulted in branched fibrous bundles organized by unit crystalline nanofibers with a width of ca. 5-7 nm. The six-armed star with benzene ring core produced fanlike fibrous bundles while the four-armed star with porphyrin core assembled into asterlike aggregates. The critical concentration of gelation (C(G)) was low (about 0.2 approximately 0.3%) and the thermoreversible gel-sol transition temperatures (T(G)) were controllable from approximately 43 to approximately 79 degrees C. The hydrogels formed in the presence of the various aqueous additives including organic solvents, hydrophilic polymers, physical cross-linker, chemical cross-linker, and base enabling modification and functionalization during synthesis. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels could be improved by chemical cross-linking of preformed hydrogels by glutaraldehyde. Physically and physical/chemical cross-linked hydrogels served as excellent template roles in biomimetic silicification, which produced silica-PEI hybrid powder or monolith constructed by nanofibers.     

Thermogelling hydrogels of poly(ε-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide)–poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(ε-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide) and poly(ε-caprolactone-co-L-lactide)–poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(ε-caprolactone-co-L-lactide) aqueous solutions

Thermogelling poly(ε-caprolactone-co-D,L -lactide)–poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(ε-caprolactone-co-D,L -lactide) and poly(ε-caprolactone-co-L -lactide)–poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(ε-caprolactone-co-L -lactide) triblock copolymers were synthesized through the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and D,L -lactide or L -lactide in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol). The polymerization reaction was carried out in 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene with Sn(Oct)₂ as the catalyst at various temperatures, and the yields were about 96%. The molecular weights and polydispersities (M_w/M_n) by gel permeation chromatography were in the ranges of 5140–6750 and 1.35–1.45, respectively. The differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the melting temperatures of the poly(ε-caprolactone) components were between 30 and 40 °C. By the subtle tuning of the chemical compositions and microstructures of these triblock copolymers, the aqueous solutions underwent sol–gel transitions as the temperature increased, with the suitable lower critical solution temperature in the range of 17–28 °C at different concentrations. Transesterification in the polymerization process generated the redistribution of sequences, which remarkably affected the sol–gel transition temperature. The amphiphilic copolymers formed micelles in aqueous solutions with a diameter of 62 nm and a critical micelle concentration of about 0.032 wt % at 20 °C. Micelles aggregated as the temperature increased, leading to gel formation. The sol–gel transition was studied, with a focus on the structure–property relationship. It is expected to have potential applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4091–4099, 2007     

Poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(L‐lactide) star block copolymer hydrogels crosslinked by metal–ligand coordination

The aqueous solution behavior and thermoreversible gelation properties of pyridine‐end‐functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(L ‐lactide) (PEG–(PLLA)₈–py) star block copolymers in the presence of coordinating transition metal ions were studied. In aqueous solutions, the macromonomers self‐assembled into micelles and micellar aggregates at low concentrations and formed physically crosslinked, thermoreversible hydrogels above a critical gel concentration (CGC) of 8% w/v. In the presence of transition metal ions like Cu(II), Co(II), or Mn(II), the aggregate dimensions increased. Above the CGC, the gel–sol transition shifted to higher temperatures due to the formation of additional crosslinks from intermolecular coordination complexes between metal ions and pyridine ligands. Furthermore, as an example, PEG–(PLLA)₈–py hydrogels stabilized by Mn(II)–pyridine coordination complexes were more resistant against degradation/dissolution when placed in phosphate buffered saline at 37 °C when compared with hydrogels prepared in water. Importantly, the stabilizing effect of metal–ligand coordination was noticeable at very low Cu(II) concentrations, which have been reported to be noncytotoxic for fibroblasts in vitro. These novel PEG–(PLLA)₈–py metallo‐hydrogels, which are the first systems to combine metal–ligand coordination with the advantageous properties of PEG–PLLA copolymer hydrogels, are appealing materials that may find use in biomedical as well as environmental applications like the removal of heavy metal ions from waste streams. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012