Thermogelling aqueous solutions of alternating multiblock copolymers of poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol)

Abstract

We are reporting alternating multiblock copolymers of poly(L-lactic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) aqueous solution (> 15 wt %) undergoing sol-gel-sol transition as the temperature increases from 20 to 60 °C. Micelles of the multiblock copolymers (in water) are about 20 nm in radius at low temperature. They are aggregated to a larger size as the temperature increases, which should play a critical role in the sol-to-gel transition. The transition temperature and gel window were affected by the molecular weight and composition of the multiblock copolymer. In particular, the aqueous solution of an alternating multiblock copolymer (Mn ≈ 6700 daltons) prepared from poly(ethylene glycol) (Mn ≈ 600 daltons) and poly(L-lactic acid) (Mn ≈ 1300 daltons) showed a maximum modulus at body temperature (37 °C). The in situ gel forming ability of the polymer aqueous solution in vivo as well as in vitro indicates that it can be a promising injectable biomaterial. © 2006 American Chemical Society.