Thermo-responsive block copolymers with multiple phase transition temperatures in aqueous solutions

Stimuli-responsive block copolymers that exhibit multiple thermal transitions are an emerging topic, important for understanding thermo-sensitive self-assembling processes and furthermore, for developing interesting molecular devices. This review describes synthetic strategies for building di- and multiblock copolymers composed of several thermo-responsive segments that provide multiple transitions. The structural and compositional factors that affect the transition temperatures (upper or lower critical solution temperatures, UCST and LCST) are discussed. The aggregation behavior is highlighted through several examples of diblock and multiblock copolymers showing sequential thermal transitions. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.