Polymers with Upper Critical Solution Temperature in Aqueous Solution

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 33; no. 22; pp. 1898 - 1920
• Main Authors: Seuring, Jan, Agarwal, Seema
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 23.11.2012; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Electrolytes - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Phase Transition; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymers; Polymers - chemistry; Properties and characterization; smart polymers; Solution and gel properties; Solutions - chemistry; stimuli-responsive polymers; Studies; Temperature; thermoresponse; Transition Temperature; Transition temperatures; upper critical solution temperatures; Water - chemistry; thermoresponse; upper critical solution temperatures; Phase diagram; stimuli-responsive polymers; Polymer; smart polymers; Review; Aqueous solution; Saline solution
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201200433

This review focuses on polymers with upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in water or electrolyte solution and provides a detailed survey of the yet few existing examples. A guide for synthetic chemists for the design of novel UCST polymers is presented and possible handles to tune the phase transition temperature, sharpness of transition, hysteresis, and effectiveness of phase separation are discussed. This review tries to answer the question why polymers with UCST remained largely underrepresented in academic as well as applied research and what requirements have to be fulfilled to make these polymers suitable for the development of smart materials with a positive thermoresponse. Why are polymers with UCST in water underrepresented in academic and applied research? This review tries to answer this question. Furthermore, a guide for the synthesis of novel UCST polymers is presented and possible handles to tune the phase transition temperature, sharpness of transition, hysteresis, and effectiveness of phase separation are discussed.