Cononsolvency in the ‘drunken’ state: the thermoresponsiveness of a new acrylamide copolymer in water–alcohol mixtures

摘要: Stimuli-responsive ‘smart’ polymers are a promising class of materials for switchable devices. In this work, we present poly[N-acryloylpiperidine-random-N-acryloylpyrrolidine] (poly[APi-r-APy]) as novel thermoresponsive copolymer which was synthesised by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisation in controlled manner. One its attractive features is that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) aqueous solution, i.e. at polymer instantaneously becomes insoluble, can be freely adjusted between 3 °C and 47 °C. This adjustment indeed extremely straightforward because LCST linearly dependent on composition. We furthermore discuss influence addition second ‘good’ solvent to polymer–water solutions thermoresponsiveness system. Depending nature additive, cloud point shifted both upwards downwards. Our research focused alcoholic additives, with systematic variation chemical structure alcohol, resulted occurrence remarkable cononsolvency effects. The results discussed terms polymer–additive well additive–water interactions help gain more detailed understanding water amphiphilic additives and, hence, phenomena. work moreover contributes design systems tailored phase transition properties.