Synthesis and Thermo-responsive Properties of Chitosan-g-Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) and HTCC-g-Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Copolymers

Carboxyl group-terminated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIA-COOH) was synthesized via radical polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIA) using mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) as a chain transfer agent. The molecular weight of the PNIA-COOH was controlled by changing the molar ratio of MAA to NIA. A water-soluble chitosan derivative, N-(2-hydroxy)propyl-3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride (HTCC), was also synthesized by reacting chitosan with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride. Then, chitosan-g-PNIA and HTCC-g-PNIA copolymers were synthesized using the "graft-onto" method by reacting PNIA-COOH with chitosan and HTCC, respectively. The formation of the grafted copolymers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, solubility test in water, and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy. The thermo-responsive behaviors of the grafted copolymers and the change in lower critical solution temperature (LCST) were also studied. Chitosan-g-PNIA was insoluble in water and behaved like a thermo-responsive hydrogel due to the crosslinking-point action of the chitosan backbone. The swelling ratio of chitosan-g-PNIA increased with increasing PNIA content. HTCC-g-PNIA behaved as a water-soluble thermo-responsive polymer. Compared to the homo PNIA, the LCST of HTCC-g-PNIA was slightly increased.