Examining the Viscosity of PEG-PDMAEMA as a Function of Temperature and pH

Abstract

“Smart” polymers respond to small changes in the environment in an intriguing way dissimilar to regular polymers. Viscosity is one variable that changes in different conditions of pH, temperature, and polymer concentration. Cloud point is the temperature above which the polymer goes from “water loving” (hydrophilic) to “water hating” (hydrophobic) and becoming insoluble. PDMAEMA, the smart polymer being tested, has a cloud point that is affected by changes in pH, buffer concentration and polymer concentration. When PDMAEMA is used in a diblock copolymer with poly (ethylene glycol), PEG-PDMAEMA, it changes to take on different properties.