The Effect of Salt and pH on the Phase Transition Behaviors of pH and Temperature-Responsive Poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide-co-methylacrylic acid)

A series of pH and temperature-responsive (N,N-diethylacrylamide-co-methylacrylic acid) copolymers were synthesized by radical copolymerization and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) H-1, C-13 and LLS. The effects of salt and pH on the phase transition behaviors of the copolymers were investigated by UV With increasing NaCl concentration, significant salt effects on their phase transition behaviors were observed. UV spectroscopic studies showed that the phase transition became faster with increasing NaCl concentration. In addition, the phase transition behaviors of copolymers were sensitive to pH. The pH and temperature sensitivity of these copolymers would make an interesting drug delivery system.