Temperature and salt-responsive polyoxometalate–poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)
hybrid macromolecules in aqueous solution
Polyoxometalate (POM) polar head groups
were covalently functionalized with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) tails.
The macromolecular hybrid demonstrates solution behavior of hydrophilic
macroions by self-assembling into blackberry structures at room temperature.
The hybrid behaves like an amphiphilic surfactant by forming a vesicular
structure when the temperature is above the phase transition of PNIPAM. The
reversible self-assembly is also salt-sensitive and the salt-induced smaller
vesicular formation results from counterion-association.