Rheological kinetics of thermo-sensitive supramolecular assemblies from poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) and adenine-functionalized poly(ethylene oxide) stabilized by complementary multiple hydrogen bonds

In this study, we synthesized a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) through the polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide in distilled water with azodiisobutyronitrile as the initiator and a bisadenine-functionalized poly(ethylene oxide) (A-PEO-A) from the reaction of adenine with a difunctionalized toluenesulfonyl-PEO. When blended together in distilled water, PNIPAm and A-PEO-A formed supramolecular aggregates stabilized through complementary multiple hydrogen bonds between the amide groups of PNIPAm and the adenine units of A-PEO-A. Agrawal integral equation and rheometry revealed the rheological kinetics of supramolecular assemblies, which were influenced significantly by the spherical micelles, large associated aggregates of spherical micelles, network structures, and toroid structures formed in aqueous solutions.