Saccharide effect on the LCST property of a polyether: Influence of structure and length

• Copolymers of PEO and PPO have LCST behavior.
• The cloud point temperature is controlled by adding saccharide.
• The choice of monosaccharide and the number of repetition unit (or molar mass) influence the phenomena.
• This derivates modify the water structure around copolymers.

Saccharides and especially monosaccharides are well-known to affect the thermal transition of the LCST polymer solution. The studied LCST system is an aqueous polyetheramine solution under unprotected form. The role of saccharide has clearly been highlighted through thermal measurements (absorbance and μDSC) and structural techniques (NMR). Moreover, the impact of the structure and the number of the saccharides unit have been disclosed on the cloud point temperature. The phase transition became lowered upon sugar addition.

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