For example, in temperature sensitive hydrogels, increasing the temperature above the lower
critical solution temperature (LCST) results in a significant decrease in the system volume [12,13].
Results showed that due to their specific characteristics, including high LCST (low
critical solution temperature), the copolymers are capable of loading and releasing the drugs in comparison with previous reported products such as poly (N-isopropylacrylamide).
Bergbreiter, "Effects of end group polarity and molecular weight on the lower
critical solution temperature of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)," Journal of Polymer Science A: Polymer Chemistry, vol.
The cloud point curve is typically of (lower
critical solution temperature) LCST type.
Similarly, thermoresponsive polymers with Lower
Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) have been investigated for various biomedical and pharmaceutical formulations.
The polymer particles have a lower
critical solution temperature and the polymer particles are formed at a temperature above the lower
critical solution temperature.
* Introduction to free energy of mixing * Why entropy effects are small in polymers * Chemistry factors controlling miscibility * Blending principles and adhesion between polymers * Phase diagrams: lower
critical solution temperature, upper
critical solution temperature, generalized phase diagrams
This suggests that the blend exhibits lower
critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior.
A very well known temperature sensitive hydrogel is crosslinked poly(/V-isopropyl acrylamide) which has a lower
critical solution temperature (LCST) at 31-33[degrees]C in water [1, 2).
Most commonly, these are systems that are soluble at low temperatures and they show gelling or phase separation when the temperature is raised above a critical temperature (the lower
critical solution temperature) that is usually called the cloud point.
Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) is a well-known example of a thermo-responsive polymer which exhibits lower
critical solution temperature or phase separation at about 32oC.
Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria * Introduction to free energy of mixing * Why entropy effects are small in polymers * Chemistry factors controlling miscibility * Blending principles and adhesion between polymers * Phase diagrams: lower
critical solution temperature, upper
critical solution temperature, generalized phase diagrams * Flory-Huggins equation * Copolymers and blending * Copolymer representations - temperature composition plots, miscibility maps