Water-Soluble Stimuli Responsive Star-Shaped Segmented Macromolecules

Star shaped segmented macromolecules constitute an interesting class of polymeric materials whose properties differ remarkably from those appearing in their linear counterparts. This review highlights the work done in the last decade, dealing with the self-assembly of star-shaped block copolymers and terpolymers of various topologies in aqueous media. This article focuses on a specific class of star shaped macromolecules designated as stimuli responsive. These stars bearblock/arms undergo sharp phase transitions upon responding to stimuli, such as temperature, pH, ionic strength and so forth. These transitions impose dramatic transformations on the morphology and, accordingly, in the functionality of the nanostructured associates. The number of arms, the specific functionality and topology of the different arm/blocks and the overall macromolecular architecture of the star polymer, significantly influence their behavior in terms of self-assembly and responsiveness.