Design of Smart Oligo(ethylene glycol)-Based Biocompatible Hybrid Microgels Loaded with Magnetic Nanoparticles

Abstract

This article reports a rational strategy for preparing smart oligo(ethylene glycol)-based hybrid microgels loaded with high content of homogeneously distributed preformed magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) (up to 33 wt%). The strategy is based on the synthesis of biocompatible multiresponsive microgels by precipitation copolymerization of di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and oligo(ethylene glycol)diac-rylate. An aqueous dispersion of preformed magnetic NPs is straightforwardly loaded into the microgels. Robust monodisperse thermoresponsive magnetic microgels are produced, exhibiting a constant value of the volume phase transition temperature whatever the NPs content. The homogeneous microstructure of the initial stimuli-responsive biocompatible microgels plays a crucial role for the design of unique well-defined ethylene glycol-based thermoresponsive hybrid microgels.