Functional polymers based on high hydrophilicity of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)

Polymers of the family of 2-substituted 2-oxazolines have the general structure of poly(N-acylethylenimine), whose hydrophilic/lipophilic properties vary according to the substituent, i.e., the acyl group of the polymer. Of special interest is the polymer of 2-methyl-substituted monomer, which has a strong affinity for water. Another useful feature of the 2-oxazoline family is the fact that its polymerization reaction is quite clean without disturbance by chain transfer and termination. On the basis of the above characteristics, three kinds of novel materials of functional polymers have been explored:

• 1. Non-ionic polymeric surfactants.
• 2. Non-ionic hydrogels.
• 3. Block copolymer with silica gel: Organic/inorganic polymers hybrids.