Synthesis and aggregation behavior of multi-responsive double hydrophilic ABC miktoarm star terpolymer

We report the first example of the synthesis and the schizophrenic micellization behavior of a multi-responsive double hydrophilic ABC miktoarm star terpolymer. A well-defined miktoarm star terpolymer consisting of polyethylene glycol), poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) arms, PEG(-b-PDEA)-b-PNIPAM, was synthesized via the combination of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and click reaction. Containing pH-responsive PDEA and thermo-responsive PNIPAM arms, this novel type of miktoarm star terpolymer molecularly dissolves in aqueous solution at acidic pH and room temperature, but supramolecularly self -into micelles at alkaline pH and room temperature, and PNIPAM-core micelles at acidic pH and elevated temperatures. Most importantly, both types of micellar aggregates possess wellsolvated hybrid coronas.