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Les films minces d'hydrogels thermosensibles à propriétés LCST/UCST (Lower/Upper Critical Solution Temperature) avec des températures de transition variables ont été mis au point pour des applications spécifiques. Les réseaux chimiques de polymères fixés de manière covalente sur des substrats solides plans ont été synthétisés par une approche polyvalente et facile à mettre en œuvre en utilisant la chimie click thiol-ène. Elle consiste à déposer des polymères préformés et réactifs en présence des réticulants dithiol sur des substrats modifiés thiol, la réaction de thiol-ène permettant la réticulation simultanée entre chaînes et le greffage en surface. La stratégie CLAG (Cross-Linking And Grafting) donne des films d'hydrogel chimiquement stables et reproductibles avec une large gamme d'épaisseur et avec les propriétés thermostimulables désirées. Les polymères hydrophiles fonctionnalisés par des groupes fonctionnels alcène peuvent être synthétisés en utilisant une copolymérisation radicalaire du monomère souhaité avec du méthacrylate d'allyle dans un solvant organique ou un co-solvant avec de l'eau. Une autre voie est la synthèse dans l'eau en deux étapes: le monomère désiré est copolymérisé avec l'acide acrylique puis le copolymère est modifié par l’allylamine. Trois familles de polymères ont été étudiées: poly(PEGMA), poly(acrylamide) et poly(zwitterion). La température de transition des films d'hydrogel est déterminée en mesurant l'épaisseur dans des solutions aqueuses par ellipsométrie. Les films d'hydrogel de poly(PEGMA) montrent des propriétés de LCST avec la température de transition augmentant avec le nombre d'unités de PEG. La LCST varie de 15°C à 60°C avec deux à cinq unités de PEG dans les chaînes pendantes. La LCST peut également être ajustée en utilisant des copolymères avec différents ratios. Les films d'hydrogel acrylamide ont à la fois des propriétés LCST et UCST. Les films d'hydrogel de poly(sulfobetaïne) montrent un comportement UCST très intéressant en plus d’être « anti-fouling », ce qui est très prometteur pour les applications en biologie. / Temperature-responsive surface-attached hydrogel thin films with various LCST/UCST (Lower/Upper Critical Solution Temperature) were designed for specific applications. The chemical polymer networks covalently attached on plane solid substrates were synthesized by a versatile and straightforward approach using thiol-ene click chemistry. It consists in coating ene-reactive polymers and dithiol crosslinkers on thiol-modified substrates, the thiol-ene click reaction allowing simultaneous cross-linking between chains and grafting on the surface. The CLAG (Cross-Linking And Grafting) strategy provides chemically stable and reproducible hydrogel films with a wide range of thickness and with the desired temperature-responsive properties. Ene-functionalized hydrophilic polymers can be synthesized using free radical copolymerization of the desired monomer with allyl methacrylate in organic solvent or co-solvent with water. Another way is the synthesis in water in two steps: the desired monomer is copolymerized with acrylic acid and then the copolymer is post-modified by amidification. Three polymer families were investigated: poly(PEGMA), poly(acrylamide) derivatives and poly(zwitterions). The transition temperature of the hydrogel films is determined by measuring the thickness in aqueous solutions at different temperatures with ellipsometry. Poly(PEGMA) hydrogel films show LCST properties with the transition temperature increasing with the number of PEG units. The LCST ranges from 15 °C to 60 °C with two to five PEG units in the pendant chains. The LCST can also be adjusted using mixed copolymers hydrogel. Poly(acrylamide) derivatives hydrogel films have both LCST and UCST properties. Poly(sulfobetaine) hydrogel films show very interesting UCST behavior in addition to be anti-fouling, which is very promising for biology applications.

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of stimuli-responsive polymers made by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and the investigation of their self-assembly into “smart” hydrogels. In particular the hydrogels were designed to swell at low temperature and could be reversibly switched to a collapsed hydrophobic state by rising the temperature. Starting from two constituents, a short permanently hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) block and a thermo-responsive poly(methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate) (PMDEGA) block, various gelation behaviors and switching temperatures were achieved. New RAFT agents bearing tert-butyl benzoate or benzoic acid groups, were developed for the synthesis of diblock, symmetrical triblock and 3-arm star block copolymers. Thus, specific end groups were attached to the polymers that facilitate efficient macromolecular characterization, e.g by routine 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Further, the carboxyl end-groups allowed functionalizing the various polymers by a fluorophore. Because reports on PMDEGA have been extremely rare, at first, the thermo-responsive behavior of the polymer was investigated and the influence of factors such as molar mass, nature of the end-groups, and architecture, was studied. The use of special RAFT agents enabled the design of polymer with specific hydrophobic and hydrophilic end-groups. Cloud points (CP) of the polymers proved to be sensitive to all molecular variables studied, namely molar mass, nature and number of the end-groups, up to relatively high molar masses. Thus, by changing molecular parameters, CPs of the PMDEGA could be easily adjusted within the physiological interesting range of 20 to 40°C. A second responsivity, namely to light, was added to the PMDEGA system via random copolymerization of MDEGA with a specifically designed photo-switchable azobenzene acrylate. The composition of the copolymers was varied in order to determine the optimal conditions for an isothermal cloud point variation triggered by light. Though reversible light-induced solubility changes were achieved, the differences between the cloud points before and after the irradiation were small. Remarkably, the response to light differed from common observations for azobenzene-based systems, as CPs decreased after UV-irradiation, i.e with increasing content of cis-azobenzene units. The viscosifying and gelling abilities of the various block copolymers made from PS and PMDEGA blocks were studied by rheology. Important differences were observed between diblock copolymers, containing one hydrophobic PS block only, the telechelic symmetrical triblock copolymers made of two associating PS termini, and the star block copolymers having three associating end blocks. Regardless of their hydrophilic block length, diblock copolymers PS11 PMDEGAn were freely flowing even at concentrations as high as 40 wt. %. In contrast, all studied symmetrical triblock copolymers PS8-PMDEGAn-PS8 formed gels at low temperatures and at concentrations as low as 3.5 wt. % at best. When heated, these gels underwent a gel-sol transition at intermediate temperatures, well below the cloud point where phase separation occurs. The gel-sol transition shifted to markedly higher transition temperatures with increasing length of the hydrophilic inner block. This effect increased also with the number of arms, and with the length of the hydrophobic end blocks. The mechanical properties of the gels were significantly altered at the cloud point and liquid-like dispersions were formed. These could be reversibly transformed into hydrogels by cooling. This thesis demonstrates that high molar mass PMDEGA is an easily accessible, presumably also biocompatible and at ambient temperature well water-soluble, non-ionic thermo-responsive polymer. PMDEGA can be easily molecularly engineered via the RAFT method, implementing defined end-groups, and producing different, also complex, architectures, such as amphiphilic triblock and star block copolymers, having an analogous structure to associative telechelics. With appropriate design, such amphiphilic copolymers give way to efficient, “smart” viscosifiers and gelators displaying tunable gelling and mechanical properties. / Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der RAFT-vermittelten Synthese und Charakterisierung von stimuli-empfindlichen Polymeren und ihrer Selbstorganisation zu „intelligenten” Hydrogelen. Die Hydrogele wurden so entwickelt, dass sie bei niedrigen Temperaturen stark quellen, bei Temperaturerhöhung jedoch reversibel in einem hydrophoben, kollabierten Zustand umgewandelt werden. Mit dem permanent hydrophoben Polystyrol (PS) und dem hydrophilen, thermisch schaltbaren Poly(methoxy-diethylen¬glycol-acrylat) (PMDEGA) als Bausteine, wurden unterschiedliche Gelierungsverhalten und thermische Übergangstemperaturen erreicht. Zur Synthese von Diblock-, symmetrischen Triblock- und dreiarmigen Sternblock-Copolymeren wurden neue funktionelle Kettenüberträger entwickelt. Diese gestatteten es, tert-butyl Benzoeester und Benzoesäure Endgruppen in die Polymere einzubauen, die einerseits eine effiziente Analyse mittels Routine 1H-NMR und darüber hinaus eine spätere Funktionalisierung der Endgruppen mit einer Fluoreszenzsonde ermöglichten. Da über PMDEGA kaum Daten vorlagen, wurde der Einfluss von Molekulargewicht, Endgruppen und Architektur auf das thermo-responsive Verhalten untersucht. Die speziellen Kettenüberträger ermöglichten es, gezielt hydrophobe wie hydrophile Endgruppen in die Polymere einzuführen. Die Trübungspunkte der wässerigen Lösungen von PMDEGA zeigten sich bis zu relativ hohen molaren Massen abhängig gegenüber allen untersuchten Variablen, nämlich dem Molekulargewicht, der Art und Zahl von Endgruppen. Durch Variation der diversen Parameter ließ sich die Schalttemperatur von PMDEGA in physiologisch relevanten Temperaturbereich von 20 bis 40 °C einstellen. Um die Polymere für einen zweiten Stimulus, nämlich Licht, empfindlich zu machen, wurden Azobenzol-funktionalisierte Acrylate synthetisiert und statistisch mit MDEGA copolymerisiert. Die Zusammensetzung der Polymeren wurde variiert und das isotherme Schalten der Löslichkeit durch Licht untersucht. Obwohl ein reversibles Schalten erreicht wurde, waren die Unterschiede zwischen den Trübungstemperaturen von UV-Licht bestrahlten und unbestrahlten Proben nur gering. Interessanterweise senkte die UV-Bestrahlung, d.h. ein erhöhter Gehalt von cis-Azobenzol-Gruppen, die Trübungstemperaturen herab. Dies ist genau umgekehrt als für azobenzolbasierten Systeme klassisch beschrieben. Die Gelbildung der verschiedenen Blockcopolymere von PS und PMDEGA wurde mittels Rheologie untersucht. Dabei traten deutliche Unterschiede auf, zwischen dem Gelierungsverhalten der Diblockcopolymere, die nur einen PS Block enthalten, dem der symmetrischen Triblockcopolymere, die zwei assoziative PS Endblöcken besitzen, und dem der Sternpolymere, die drei assoziative PS Blöcke aufweisen. Unabhängig von der Länge des hydrophilen Blockes, bilden Diblockcopolymere des Typs PS11-PMDEGAn keine Gele, sondern selbst bei hohen Konzentrationen von 40 Gew. % Lösungen. Im Gegensatz dazu bildeten die Triblockcopolymere des Typs PS8-PMDEGAn-PS8 Gele bei niedrigen Temperaturen, vereinzelt schon ab 3.5 wt. %. Mit steigender Temperatur, tritt bereits unterhalb des Trübungspunktes für diese Systeme ein Gel-Sol Übergang auf. Der Gel-Sol Übergang bewegt sich zu höheren Temperaturen mit steigende Länge des hydrophilen inneren Blocks. Dieser Trend verstärkt sich mit zunehmender Anzahl von Endblöcken und deren Länge. An der Trübungstemperatur veränderten sich die mechanischen Eigenschaften aller Gele signifikant und die gebildeten flüssigen Dispersionen ließen sich reversibel beim Abkühlen wieder zu Gel schalten. Diese Arbeit, zeigt dass PMDEGA ein bei niedrigen Temperaturen gut wasserlösliches, nicht-ionisches, thermisch-schaltbares und wahrscheinlich biokompatibles Polymer ist. PMDEGA liest sich einfach mittels den RAFT-Verfahren molekular maßschneiden, mit spezifischen Endgruppen und komplexen Polymerarchitekturen. Solche amphiphilen Triblock- und Sternblock-Copolymeren hoher Molmasse, wirken als assoziative Telechele. Daher eigenen sich bei entsprechendem Design diese amphiphilen Blockcopolymere als effiziente Verdicker und Gelbildner mit einstellbaren mechanischen und thermischen Eigenschaften.

Stimuli responsive polymers (SRP) have attracted a lot of attention, due to their potential and promising applications in many fields, as protein-ligand recognition, on-off switches for modulated drug delivery or artificial organs. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is one of the most widely studied polymers due to its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at ~ 32° C in aqueous solution. Additionally, glycopolymers, where free sugar units are present, have potentially interesting applications especially in bio-recognition where sugars play an important role. In this work, our interest was focused on the synthesis of glycomonomers and its block- and random- copolymers with NIPAM. NIPAM homopolymers with an active chain transfer unit at the chain end could be prepared by RAFT. They were used as macro-chain transfer agents to prepare a variety of sugar containing responsive block copolymers from new glycomonomers by the monomer addition concept. The LCSTs of the aqueous solutions of the copolymers are affected strongly by the comonomer content, spacer chain length of the glycomonomer and the chain architecture of the copolymers. These polymers were coated on a solid substrate by spin coating and crosslinked by plasma immobilization. Characterization of the polymers was performed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), ultraviolet (UV), dynamic light scattering (DLS, detection of aggregation behaviour) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Polymer films were investigated by ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) regarding their surface properties. Afterwards sulfation of sugar – OH groups was performed in order to obtain heparin like structure, as heparin exhibits numerous important biological activities, like good interaction with diverse proteins. Finally, affinity of the polymers (sulfated and non sulfated form) on a solid support to the endothelial cells was investigated.

Les membranes polymères sont actuellement élaborées par des procédés de séparation de phase impliquant l'utilisation de solvants organiques en grande quantité. Dans cette étude, un nouveau procédé d'élaboration de membrane a été développé en substituant les solvants organiques par l'eau, donc en utilisant un polymère hydrosoluble. Ce procédé, appelé LCST-TIPS, consiste à induire une séparation de phase par augmentation de la température au-delà de la température critique du système polymère/eau, la LCST. Afin de figer la structure de la membrane et la rendre insoluble en milieu aqueux, une réticulation des chaines de polymère doit être réalisée. Dans cette thèse, le système alcool polyvinylique (PVA)/eau a été utilisé et une réticulation chimique a été mise en œuvre en utilisant le glutaraldéhyde. La séparation de phase a été étudiée par analyse UV, turbidimétrie et diffusion de lumière et l'étude de la réticulation a été étudiée en mesurant les temps de prise en gel par rhéologie. Des membranes ont été élaborées en couplant la séparation de phase, la réticulation et l'évaporation du solvant ; les propriétés morphologiques des membranes ont été corrélées aux conditions opératoires choisies. Les chemins de composition ont été simulés en modélisant les transferts de matière et ont été reliés aux cinétiques de réticulation afin de mieux comprendre les morphologies membranaires obtenues. Les propriétés fonctionnelles des membranes PVA ont été évaluées par filtration d'eau après ajout d'un agent porogène (le dextrane) dans le collodion. / Polymeric membranes are mostly prepared by phase separation processes requiring high quantities of organic solvents. A new process of membrane preparation is developed in this work and aims at replacing the organic solvents by water, using water soluble polymer. This process, called LCST-TIPS process, consists in coupling a phase separation by increasing temperature until a critical temperature (Lower Critical Solution Temperature – LCST). The cross-linking of the polymer chains has to be performed to obtain insoluble membrane. The polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/water system was used in this work and a chemical cross-linking using glutaraldehyde in acid medium was performed to fix the membrane structure. First, phase separation and cross-linking were studied separately by UV analysis, turbidimetry and light scattering and by monitoring the gelation during cross-linking using rheological measurements. Membranes were then prepared by coupling the whole phenomena, i.e. phase inversion, cross-linking, solvent evaporation and the effect of formulation and process parameters was studied on PVA membrane morphologies. Composition paths were simulated by modeling mass transfer phenomena during elaboration and were linked to the cross-linking kinetics in order to investigate the link between membrane morphologies and operating conditions. Membranes functional properties were then determined by water filtration tests after addition of a porogenic reagent (dextran) in the collodion.

Le poly(acide méthacrylique) (PMAA) est un polyélectrolyte relativement peu étudié qui présente cependant des caractéristiques physico-chimiques variées et très intéressantes. La présence d'un groupement méthyle en alpha du groupement acide carboxylique lui confère un comportement très différent de son homologue beaucoup plus étudié : le poly(acide acrylique). En solvant aqueux et à faible taux d'ionisation, la synergie entre les interactions hydrophobes provenant des groupements méthyle et les liaisons hydrogène intramoléculaires entre les groupements acides carboxyliques sont à l'origine de la conformation très compacte adoptée par la chaîne polymère. Néanmoins, au-delà d'un taux d'ionisation critique, la chaîne de PMAA adopte une conformation très étendue semblable à celle adoptée par un polyélectrolyte classique à taux de charges élevé. L'objectif principal de ce travail est de relier les propriétés rhéologiques à la structure de solutions semi-diluées de PMAA.Le comportement rhéologique des solutions de PMAA a été étudié en fonction du régime de concentration et du taux d'ionisation. Les solutions semi-diluées suffisamment concentrées de PMAA présentent un comportement antithixotrope lorsque les macromolécules sont dans leur état globulaire. Le cisaillement entraîne la formation de liaisons intermoléculaires à l'origine de la formation d'un gel physique. Cette évolution a été reliée à une valeur de contrainte critique de cisaillement indépendante de la concentration pour laquelle le gel se forme. Ce phénomène présente des caractéristiques analogues à celles observées pour des suspensions colloïdales nanométriques.En solution aqueuse, les chaînes de PMAA non ionisées présentent une température critique inférieure de solubilité (LCST) située autour 67 $^{circ}$C. Une étude de ce phénomène par RMN a permis de sonder la mobilité des molécules d'eau au cours de la transition et de mettre en évidence un phénomène de déshydratation des macromolécules. Des mesures de diffusion de neutrons aux petits angles en température ont également montré la formation d'interfaces entre domaines riches et pauvres en polymère. L'emploi de ces différentes approches expérimentales a permis d'identifier un mécanisme de transition de phase très semblable à celui du poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). La température de point de trouble coïncide également avec une température de gel pour laquelle un gel viscoélastique se forme.La compréhension du comportement rhéologique et en température du PMAA est une étude nécessaire préalablement à l'élaboration de nanocomposites à base de PMAA et de nanoparticules de silice. Les nanocomposites sont préparés en solution et la fonctionnalisation des particules de silice permet d'augmenter les interactions polymère/silice. Le choix des groupements fonctionnels greffés à la surface des particules de silice a permis de rendre ces interactions variables par le pH de la solution. Une perspective à ce travail sera de corréler les propriétés structurales du nanocomposite à ses propriétés rhéologiques au cours du séchage / Poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) is a polyelectrolyte which has been rather scarcely investigated in the literature, despite its various and very interesting physical properties. The behavior of PMAA solutions is drastically different from the one displayed by the extensively studied poly(acrylic acid), due to the methyl group located in the alpha position of the carboxylic acid function. At low ionization degrees in aqueous solvent, synergetic effects resulting from both hydrophobic interactions (methyl groups) and intramolecular hydrogen bonds between acidic groups are responsible for the hypercoiled conformation of the PMAA chains. Nevertheless, above a critical ionization degree, the PMAA macromolecule behaves as an extended chain similar to a usual highly charged polyelectrolyte. The main purpose of this work is to correlate the rheological properties to the structure of the chains for semi-dilute solutions of PMAA.In the semi-dilute regime, above a critical concentration, PMAA solutions display a sharp increase in their viscosity over time under shear. This phenomenon known as antithixotropy occurs only when the macromolecules adopt a hypercoiled conformation. The influence of both concentration and ionization degree on the rheological behavior of PMAA solutions was studied. Shear induces the formation of intermolecular bonds which are responsible for the formation of a physical gel. We have demonstrated that the critical shear stress at which the gel is formed does not depend on the concentration. Interestingly, the results obtained remind some features observed in the case of the shear thickening of charged colloids.Neutral PMAA chains in water also display a Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) around 67 $^{circ}$C. The reorientational dynamics of water molecules above the LCST was studied by means of NMR experiments, which evidenced the dehydration of the polymer coils during phase separation. The formation of interfaces between polymer-rich and polymer-poor domains was investigated by small-angle neutron scattering experiments. A possible mechanism describing the transition at the molecular level was derived from the results obtained throughout the use of complementary experimental approaches. This mechanism is very similar to the one proposed for the LCST transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). The cloud point temperature of PMAA solutions is the same as the gel temperature at which a viscoelastic gel is formed.The understanding of the behavior of PMAA solutions under shear as well as under temperature is an essential prerequisite to the design of PMAA/silica nanocomposites. These nanocomposites were are prepared in the solution state. The interactions between PMAA chains and silica were clearly increased by the functionalization of the silica particles. Such interactions between PMAA and filler particles were found to be related to the pH of the solutions, due to the nature of the chemical groups at the surface of the functionalized silica. A possible perspective to this work would be the correlation between the structural features of the nanocomposites and their rheological properties during the drying process

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Polímeros termossensíveis apresentam grandes alterações em suas propriedades quando submetidos a pequenas mudanças de temperatura (T) próximas à temperatura de solução crítica inferior (LCST) ou superior (UCST). Um dos polímeros termossensíveis mais estudados é o Poli(N-isopropilacrilamida) (PNIPAm) porque ele apresenta a LCST, aproximadamente, 32 oC ( 305 K), próxima à temperatura do corpo humano. Em temperatura abaixo da LCST o polímero apresenta-se solúvel devido um grande número de interações hidrofílicas (ligações de hidrogênio polímero-água), entretanto quando a temperatura é elevada acima da LCST ocorre a precipitação do polímero devido a um aumento de interações polímero-polímero e uma diminuição brusca nas interações polímero-água. Com essas características o PNIPAm tem despertado o interesse para aplicações em um vasto campo de pesquisas, como por exemplo na liberação controladas de fármacos. Nesse trabalho, utilizando simulações de dinâmica molecular (DM), foi proposta uma imagem microscópica do fenômeno de transição de fases apresentado por esse polímero em solução aquosa influenciado por alterações na estereoquímica do backbone (taticidade), bem como o efeito da copolimerização com Acrilamida (Am). Com base nas análises estruturais e termodinâmicas, os resultados sugerem que as diferentes estereoquímicas (isotático, atático e sindiotático) possibilitam diferentes conformações dificultando ou possibilitado um maior número de interações polímero-polímero e polímero água modificando a LCST. Já o aumento da concentração de Am (xAm) na copolimerização aumenta o número de interações polímero-água dificultando o colapso da cadeia. / Thermosensitive polymers exhibit large changes in their properties when submitted to small changes in temperature T, near the lower (LCST) or upper critical solution temperature( UCST). The most extensively studied thermosensitive polymer is PNIPAm because it has a LCST of approximately 32 oC (305 K), near human body temperature. For temperatures below the LCST the polymer is soluble due to strong hydrophilic interactions (polymer-water hydrogen bonds). However, when the temperature is raised above the LCST, the precipitation of the polymer occurs due to increased polymer-polymer interactions and a sharp decrease in polymer-water interactions. That feature makes the PNIPAm a compound widely studied and with a wide range of applications, such as for drug delivery. In this work, using molecular dynamics simulations, it was proposed a microscopic picture of the phase transition phenomenon presented by this polymer in aqueous solution influenced by changes in stereochemistry of the backbone (tacticity), as well as the effect of copolymerization with acrylamide (Am). Based on the thermodynamic and structural analysis, the results suggest that different stereochemistries (isotactic, atactic and syndiotactic) enable different conformations allowing different scenarios of polymer-polymer and polymer-water interactions, therefore modifying the LCST. The presence of the strongly polar copolymer acrylamide as the effect of maintain the high hydration even at higher temperatures, shifting in this way the LCST to higher values.

Temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)/ poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl-4-yl methacrylate) (PTMA) copolymer are synthesiszed by radical polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization. The catalytic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones using the NIPAM/PTMA copolymer as a catalyst was investigated. The copolymer were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. The results of temperature-dependent UV/Vis absorption show that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) is around 32-42 ¢J as the molecular percentage of PTMA is 0-6%. When the molecular percentage of PTMA is high than 6%, the LCST is not observed. The yield of the catalytic oxidation using the PNIPAM/PTMA copolymer as a catalyst is high than 99% within 30 min. The temperature-responsive PNIPAM/PTMA copolymer can be precipitated and purified by increasing temperature of the reaction solution higher than the LCST.