NMR Investigations of Temperature-Induced Phase Transition in Aqueous Polymer Solutions

The different dynamics of polymer segments forming phase-separated globular structures in aqueous (D₂O) solutions affects both the shape of NMR spectra and NMR relaxation times of polymer and solvent. Two types of the approach are discussed. The first one is based on the reduction of integrated intensities of polymer NMR lines in high-resolution NMR spectra in the system undergoing the coil-globule phase transition. The fraction p of phase-separated units (units with significantly reduced mobility) and subsequently, e.g., thermodynamic parameters ΔH and ΔS characterizing the coil-globule phase transition can be determined. The second approach is based on measurements of ¹H NMR relaxation times of water (HDO) which provide information on behaviour of water during phase transition. The power of both approaches is demonstrated on results obtained with solutions of several thermoresponsive homopolymers and copolymers.