Thermosensitive micelles self-assembled by novel N-isopropylacrylamide oligomer grafted polyphosphazene

Abstract

A novel thermosensitive amphiphilic copolymer of PNIPAm grafted polyphosphazene (PNIPAm-g-PPP) has been synthesized through a co-substitution reaction of poly-(dichlorophosphazene) with amino terminated NIPAm oligomer and glycine ethyl ester (GlyEt). The polymer obtained had a molar ratio of 1:5.25 PNIPAm to GlyEt and had a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) near 30 °C. The formation of polymeric micelles was confirmed by fluorescence, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy measurements.