Synthesis and Characterization of the Novel Thermoresponsive Conjugates Based on Poly(3-hydroxy alkanoates)

Novel thermoresponsive polymer conjugates based on microbial polyesters and poly-N-isopropyl acryl amide, PNIPAM, have been reported. The unsaturated poly-3-hydroxy alkanoates, poly (3-hydroxy undecenoate), PHU, and 1:1 mixture of 10-undecenoic acid and soy oil acids, PHU-Sy, were brominated by using bromine in the dark, at room temperature. Brominated PHAs were transformed to macro reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agents via the substitution reaction with potassium ethyl xanthate. RAFT polymerization of N-isopropyl acryl amide, NIPAM, was initiated by the PHA-derivative containing xanthate pendant groups in order to obtain brush type PHA-g-PNIPAM thermo responsive amphiphilic graft copolymers. The water uptake of the PHU-g-PNIPAM and PHU-Sy-g-PNIPAM amphiphilic graft copolymers changed from 50 % to completely soluble in water. Structural and thermal characterization of the novel conjugates were carried out by using 1H NMR, GPC, DSC and TGA techniques.