Thermal/pH-sensitive core-shell copolymer latex and its potential for targeting drug carrier application

In this work, the synthesis, properties of a thermal/pH-sensitive core-shell copolymer latex were studied and its potential application as a targeting drug carrier was also investigated, where the crosslinked copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and chitosan was synthesized by soapless dispersion polymerization as the core, and the copolymer of methacrylic acid (MAA) and methyl metbacrylate (MMA) was prepared as the shell. The weight ratio of chitosan/NIPAAm and the concentration of crosslinking agent in feed had been changed to investigate their effects on the particle size, reaction rate, zeta potential, surface functional groups, and specific surface area of latex particles. The swelling and thermo-sensitive behavior of the film made from these core-shell latexes were also studied under different pH values of buffer solution. The model drug (caffeine) could be loaded inside the copolymer particles and protected from releasing through the transport process effectively. And the thermo-responsive property of these copolymer particles significantly enhanced the protein conjugation that showed the potential of the latex being applied on the targeting drug carrier. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.