Dually responsive amphiphilic block copolymer with oxidation-responsiveness and tuneable LCST behaviours

This work reports a facile method to prepare dually responsive poly(propylene sulphide)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PPS-P(NIPAm-co-DMAA)) block copolymers which can respond to both oxidative and thermal stimuli. These novel dually responsive materials formed micellar structure in water and exhibited sensitive responsiveness to both oxidants and temperature. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) can be tuned from 33 to 41 °C. The mechanism of the oxidation-responsiveness and the phase transformation behaviours of the materials under different temperatures were discussed, elucidating the potential of PPS-P(NIPAm-co-DMAA) as highly promising biomedical materials for advanced drug delivery.