Aminofunctional polyethers: smart materials for applications in solution and on surfaces

• Published in: Polymer international Vol. 62; no. 6; pp. 849 - 859
• Main Authors: Wilms, Valerie S., Frey, Holger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.06.2013; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: amino groups; Applied sciences; Biocompatibility; biocompatible polymers; Biological and medical sciences; block copolymers; Crosslinking; Exact sciences and technology; General pharmacology; Mathematical analysis; Medical sciences; Micelles; Organic polymers; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Physicochemistry of polymers; poly(ethylene glycol); polyether; Polyethers; Polymers with particular properties; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Shells; Strategy; Vectors (mathematics); State of the art; Graft copolymer; Molecular structure; Atom transfer polymerization; Temperature effect; Drug carrier; polyether; Macromer; Ethylene oxide polymer; poly(ethylene glycol); Cyclic ether copolymer; Anionic copolymerization; Amine copolymer; block copolymers; Control release polymer; amino groups; pH effect; Ethylene oxide copolymer; biocompatible polymers; Cyclic ether polymer; Preparation; Property structure relationship; Methacrylate copolymer; Radical copolymerization; Gene therapy; Ring opening copolymerization; Block copolymer; Micellization
• ISSN: 0959-8103; 1097-0126
• DOI: 10.1002/pi.4496

In recent years, biocompatible polyethers with multi‐aminofunctionality have been used for a variety of applications in different fields. Both established and recently developed synthesis strategies for such polymers and applications as stimuli‐responsive materials, non‐viral vectors, shell crosslinked micelles and for surface functionalization are reviewed. The intriguing potential of such materials is due to both polyether and polyamine components and can thus be readily tuned by the copolymer microstructure and composition. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry The state of the art of biocompatible polyethers with multi‐aminofunctionality is presented. Synthetic strategies and applications as stimuli‐responsive materials, non‐viral vectors, shell cross‐linked micelles and for surface functionalization are summarized.