Synthesis and characterization of thermo-sensitive graft copolymer of carboxymethyl guar and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

Thermo-responsive graft copolymers of carboxymethyl guar [CMG] and semitelechelic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) [PNIPAm] were synthesized by coupling reaction between them using a water-soluble coupling agent namely, 1-(3-(dimethylamino) propyl)-3-ethyl carbodiimide hydrochloride [EDC]. The incorporation of PNIPAm into CMG was confirmed by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. The graft copolymers, CMG-g-PNIPAm showed enhanced viscosity as compared to the unmodified CMG in the semi-dilute regime. Due to the presence of a LCST side chains [PNIPAm], the graft copolymers exhibited thermo-responsive nature with respect to temperature which was investigated using pyrene fluorescence probe studies. Although the thermo-responsive property was observed, the thermo-thickening behavior was not seen in these polymers. The graft copolymers in the semi-dilute regime (Cp ≈ 10–20 g/L) showed viscoelastic properties and the relaxation time, τ, could be obtained from the crossover of frequency (ωc) of storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) in the oscillatory experiments. The activation energy ‘Ea’ of associations was investigated using the time temperature superpsition (TTS). These thermo-responsive polymers along with the biodegradability of CMG can have potential application as industrial thickening agent.