@article {44480,
	title = {Thermo thickening behavior of MPEG-b-PCL grafted poly(acrylic acid): a molecular insight},
	journal = {Polymer},
	volume = {148},
	year = {2018},
	month = {JUL},
	pages = {138-148},
	type = {Journal Article},
	abstract = {<p>We report on the synthesis and characterization of a new thermothickening polymer (PAA-g-(MPEG-b-PCL)) based on the grafting of a block copolymer of mono methoxy poly (ethylene glycol){\textendash}b-poly (caprolactone) (MPEG-b-PCL) onto poly (acrylic acid) (PAA). Rheological experiments reveal that aqueous solutions of PAA-g-(MPEG-b-PCL) exhibit interesting irreversible thermothickening behavior above a certain polymer concentration and critical temperature. Light scattering experiments show that increasing temperature induces hydrophobic associations and subsequent aggregation leading to gel formation which is irreversible. The mechanism of thermo thickening was examined at the molecular level by NMR methods which indicated unassembled and assembled environments of the MPEG-b-PCL grafts. On heating, interactions between the graft side chains are significantly enhanced and molecular mobility in the assembled microdomains is reduced. The stable well ordered microdomains that are formed on heating are retained on cooling thus, leading to irreversible gelation.</p>},
	keywords = {Hydrophobically modified poly (acrylic acid), Light scattering, Methoxy polyethylene glycol-b-polycaprolactone (MPEG-b-PCL) copolymer, Rheology, Thermo gelation},
	issn = {323861},
	doi = {10.1016/j.polymer.2018.06.031},
	author = {Tiwari, Neha},
	editor = {Shedge, Aarti}
}
@article {48049,
	title = {Investigation of domain structures in monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(caprolactone) grafted poly(acrylic acid) by NMR diffusion studies},
	journal = {Polymer International},
	volume = {71},
	year = {2022},
	month = {AUG},
	pages = {976-984},
	type = {Article},
	abstract = {<p>
	Associating polymers developed by grafting a block copolymer of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(caprolactone) (MPEG-b-PCL) onto poly(acrylic acid) undergo an irreversible sol-gel transition on heating. The influence of various physicochemical parameters on the thermoresponsive behaviour was examined by rheology and NMR studies. Pulsed field gradient NMR diffusion studies were performed to probe the mechanism of thermally induced gelation. Analysis of the diffusion data reveals the presence of loosely and strongly associated structures which respond differently to variation in temperature. It is observed that the polymer solution, which is visibly homogeneous, is heterogeneous on a mesoscopic scale with a distribution of domains. Detailed investigation of the thermally induced sol-gel transition shows that the mechanism of gelation involves irreversible alterations in the domain structure and size. (c) 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.</p>
},
	keywords = {associating polymers, hydrophobically modified polymers, NMR diffusion studies, Rheology, sol-gel transition, thermoresponsive polymers},
	issn = {0959-8103},
	doi = {10.1002/pi.6380},
	author = {Tiwari, Neha and Badiger, Manohar Virupax and Rajamohanan, Pattuparambil Ramanpillai and Ravindranathan, Sapna}
}
