Temperature‐Responsive Aqueous Micelles From Terpyridine End‐Capped Poly(<i>N</i>‐Isopropylacrylamide)‐<i>Block</i>‐Polystyrene Diblock Copolymers

Abstract

An attractive concept for designing "smart materials" is the combination of supramolecular interactions with thermoresponsive polymers. Here, this concept is illustrated by preparing aqueous micelles from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-polystyrene copolymers functionalized at the extremity of their poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coronal chains by terpyridine ligands. The effect of temperature and of the addition of Zn(II) ions on the self-assembling properties is then studied.