Thermo-responsiveness of polysiloxanes grafted with poly(dimethyl acrylamide) segments

Thermo-sensitive polymers are of outstanding importance due to their ability to undergo controlled major changes in their properties as a response to minor modifications in temperature. The syntheses of novel polymers by grafting polysiloxane containing chlorobenzyl groups in the side chain by the homopolymerization of N,N′-dimethyl acrylamide (DMA) or the copolymerization of DMA and methyl methacrylate (MMA) using SET-LRP technique are presented. The polymers were characterized by 1H-NMR, UV, and fluorescence spectroscopy, and DSC. The thermo-sensitivity and the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), as well as the aggregation phenomena during the phase transition are evidenced by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and rheology.