Study on temperature-responsiveness of methoxy diethyleneglycol methacrylate copolymers

Poly(methoxy diethyleneglycol methacrylate) (PMDM) showed a temperature-responsive coil-globule transition in water at 25.5°C. PMDM/PBMA latex with PMDM chains on its surface was prepared by emulsion polymerization of n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) with a macroinitiator having PMDM chain at its both ends. The latex showed temperature-responsiveness in critical flocculation concentration (CFC). However, the contact angle of air bubble on the latex film had no significant responsiveness to temperature. These results indicate that the diminution of steric stabilization effect rather than the increase in hydrophobicity of the polymer surface upon the coil-globule transition could be preferentially observed in the present system.