abstract
- We report herein a novel approach for preparing CO2- and O2-responsive polymer nanoaggregates. The polymer, synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), has one hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block, and the other hydrophobic block composed of 88 randomly distributed units of CO2-responsive N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEA) and 43 units of O2-responsive 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate (FMA). The amphiphilic copolymer self-assembled into vesicular nanoaggregates in water. With O2 bubbling, the vesicles expanded eight times in volume. With CO2 bubbling, the vesicular morphology collapsed and transformed into a small spherical micelle. The dual gas-responsivity significantly expanded the scope in designing stimuli-responsive materials and processes.