Synthesis of amphiphilic poly(tetraethylene glycol succinate) and the thermosensitivity of its aggregation in water

Amphiphilic biodegradable polyester, poly(tetraethylene glycol succinate) (PTEGSuc), was synthesized via melt polycondensation of tetraethylene glycol and succinic acid on catalysis of p‐toluenesulfonic acid. It was observed that PTEGSuc could self‐assemble into micelles in water. In addition, thermosensitivity of PTEGSuc aggregation in water was first found in the experiment, and the critical aggregation temperatures could be controlled by solution concentration. Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the micellar morphologies of PTEGSuc in different solvents. It was found that particle shape is almost round although the micellar morphology is different depending on the solvent used. Based on the perfect properties, especially in micelle formation and thermosensitivity, PTEGSuc is promising in biomedical field as carrier of drug delivery system, scaffold of tissue engineering, and other medical devices. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009