Temperature-Responsive Polymers

Chapter 11Applications of Temperature‐Responsive Polymers Grafted onto Solid Core Nanoparticles

Edward D. H. Mansfield Adrian C. Williams and Vitaliy V. Khutoryanskiy

School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AD, UK

11.1 Introduction

Temperature‐responsive polymers (TRPs) have received lots of attention in both academia and industry over the past decade, with over 6600 publications between 2007 and 2017. The ability to change their structure and properties depending on the environment offers uses in many areas, including, but not limited to, drug delivery [1], cosmetics and textiles [2], cancer diagnostics and treatment [3], cell engineering [4] and wound care [5].

Nanomaterials are defined by the European Union as ‘A natural, incidental or manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state, as an aggregate, or as an agglomerate where, for 50% or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is in the size range 1‐100 nm’ [6]. Due to their small size, they possess many unique properties not exhibited by larger particles and, in some cases, may exhibit quantum properties [7–9]. In addition, nanoparticles have numerous different compositions, ranging from solid inorganic particles to polymeric and micellar systems, and emulsions. Such broad ranging materials provide unique properties suitable for many different applications and exhibit properties not demonstrated by their larger micro‐ or macro‐counterparts. ...