pH-Responsive H-type poly(methylacrylic acid-block-four hydroxyl terminated poly(butadiene-acrylobitrile)-block-poly(methylacrylic acid (PMAA2 -b-HTPBN-b-PMAA2 ) block copolymers were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization and the follow-up hydrolysis, and characterized by (1) H NMR, FT-IR and SEC. The block copolymers could self-assemble into nanoscale spherical core-shell micelle aggregates in aqueous solution, and the physicochemical properties depended on the system composition and pH media, with pH phase transition at 5.7-6.1. The copolymer micelle aggregates exhibited pH-triggered drug release and cytotoxicity, and could potentially be used as drug targeting release carriers.
Keywords: biomaterials; drug delivery systems; micelles; self-assembly; stimuli-sensitive polymers.
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