Synthesis of thermal and photo dual-responsive amphiphilic random copolymer via atom transfer radical polymerization and its control release of doxorubicin

Dual-responsive amphiphilic random copolymer containing tri(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate (MEO3MA) and 1′-(2-acryloxyethyl)-3′,3′-dimethyl-6-nitrospiro-(2H-1-benzopyran-2,2′-indoline) (SPMA) was successfully synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization. The temperature and photo dual stimuli-responsive behaviors were investigated by lower critical solution temperature testing and UV–Vis absorption spectra, and their self-assembly morphology at various conditions was observed via TEM. The accumulative release of doxorubicin at all the conditions increased with the prolonging dialysis time, and it attained the highest value when the two chain segments of the copolymer underwent their hydrophobic/hydrophilic transition (50°C and UV light irradiation).