End Group Effect on the Thermal Response of Narrow-Disperse Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Prepared by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Four series of narrow-disperse poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) with well-controlled molecular weights and with end groups of varying hydrophobicity were synthesized by room temperature atom transfer radical polymerization in 2-propanol using the corresponding chloropropionate and chloropropionamide initiators. The thermal phase transitions of aqueous solutions of these PNIPAMs were studied by turbidimetry and high-sensitivity differential …