Molecular Design of Thermo-Sensitive Polymer Systems by Controlling Supramolecular Interaction

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26288054
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Polymer chemistry
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Kazuki Sada 北海道大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80225911)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小門 憲太 北海道大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (40600226)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 温度応答性高分子 / 刺激応答性高分子 / 超分子相互作用 / LCST / 化学反応応答性 / 超分子 / 相分離 / 相転移

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we demonstrate designing principle for thermo-sensitive polymers by controlling assembly and disassembly among the ternary system consisting of a polymer, a solvent and an “effector” . The effector capable of interacting both the polymer chain and the solvent molecule contributes to solvation of the polymer chain in the poor solvent at room temperature and induces desolvation from the polymer chain at elevated temperature to exhibit lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase separation. On the basis of our design, we constructed interesting stimuli-sensitive polymers, for examples, “universal” thermo-sensitive polymer that causes LCST in a wide range of organic solvents and thermo-sensitive polymers induced by optically active effectors. Furthermore, we demonstrated organic-reaction sensitive polymers that induce polymer phase separation by organic reactions, which is the first example for conjugation of organic reactions and polymer phase separation.

Free Research Field

高分子化学