Subsequent Graft Polymerization Research Articles

Preparation of a poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid)-grafted polyurethane sponge using atmospheric pressure plasma-induced graft polymerization and its catalytic properties for the acetalization of glycerol to solketal

Poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (poly(AMPS)) bearing a sulfo group was grafted onto a polyurethane sponge by an argon atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment and subsequent graft polymerization. Thus, a novel poly(AMPS)-grafted polyurethane sponge was developed as a heterogeneous acid catalyst for organic synthesis. The average grafting amount was 0.0277 kg-polymer/kg-substrate. The surface properties of the polyurethane sponge changed considerably, from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. The poly(AMPS)-grafted sponge successfully catalyzed the acetalization of glycerol with acetone to produce the desired solketal. The reaction rate was analyzed using a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, and the apparent reaction rate constant, k, and apparent activation energy were determined. The k value for the poly(AMPS)-grafted sponge was one order of magnitude larger than that for the EDGA-co-AMPS gel (EDGA: ethoxy diethyleneglycol acrylate). The poly(AMPS)-grafted sponge with interconnected submillimeter-sized macropores and high porosity (98%) exhibits excellent diffusional permeability. In addition, the structural features of the sponge provide advantages such as a negligible pressure drop and easy handling during the reaction process. This study provides a strategy for the use of polymers grafted onto sponges as catalysts.

Facile and Universal Defect Engineering Toward Highly Stable Carbon-Based Polymer Brushes with High Grafting Density.

Carbon-based polymer brushes (CBPBs) are an important class of functional polymer materials, which synergistically combine the advantageous properties of both carbons and polymers. However, the conventionalfabrication procedures of CBPBs involve tedious multistep modification, including preoxidation of carbon substrates, introduction of initiating groups, and subsequent graftpolymerization. In this study, a simple yet versatile defect-engineering strategy is proposed for the efficient synthesis of high-grafting-density CBPBs with highly stable CC linkages via free radical polymerization. This strategy involves the introduction and removal of nitrogen heteroatoms in the carbon skeletons via a simple temperature-Fmed heat treatment, leading to the formation of numerous carbon defects (e.g., pentagons, heptagons, and octagons) with reactive C=C bonds in the carbon substrates. The as-proposed methodology enables the facile fabrication of CBPBs with various carbon substrates and polymers. More importantly, the highly grafted polymer chains in the resulting CBPBs are tethered with the carbon skeletons by robust CC bonds, which can endure strong acid and alkali environments. These interesting findings will shed new light on the well-orchestrated design of CBPBs and broaden their applications in various areas with fascinating performances.

Fabrication of 2D nanosheet sorbents through metastable emulsion droplets and subsequent two-step grafting polymerization for efficient blood lead removal in vitro

Hemoperfusion is a powerful and yet simple method for lead poisoning treatment, but creation of safe and effective sorbents with excellent selectivity remains a real challenge. To address this, we here construct 2D nanosheet sorbents (BM-SH) through metastable emulsion droplets and subsequent two-step grafting polymerization for efficient blood lead removal in vitro. Metastable emulsion droplets endow typical nanosized sheet-like structure (thickness of 30 nm) and relatively round shape. The consecutive two grafting processes using hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and L-cysteine monomer (D-SH) provide BM-SH with a high density of accessible binding sites towards lead ions (Pb2+). A high adsorption capacity of 390.5 mg g−1 and quick capture 97.35 % of Pb2+ within initial 10 min are obtained, surpassing most of the reported sorbents for lead removal. Besides, adsorption distribution coefficient (Kd) of BM-SH among four coexisting metal ions achieved 7792 mL g−1, showing outstanding selectivity toward Pb2+. Importantly, a possible adsorption mechanism is recognized as coordination with carboxyl, sulfydryl and imino groups from L-cysteine, and mercapto ligand as the key chelating agent may be the reason for high Pb2+ affinity. And what’s more, BM-SH displays good hemocompatibility and high efficiency of blood lead removal rate (above 86 % in vitro).

Fabrication of 2d Nanosheet Sorbents Through Metastable Emulsion Droplets and Subsequent Two-Step Grafting Polymerization for Efficient Blood Lead Removal in Vitro

Fabrication of 2d Nanosheet Sorbents Through Metastable Emulsion Droplets and Subsequent Two-Step Grafting Polymerization for Efficient Blood Lead Removal in Vitro

Stalagmites in karst cave inspired construction: lotus root-type adsorbent with porous surface derived from CO2-in-water Pickering emulsion for selective and ultrafast uranium extraction

Simultaneous construction of porous and hollow adsorbent, especially from gas-in-water Pickering emulsion (PE) reactor, is vital for improving mass transfer kinetics and uptake amount. Inspired by the formation process of stalagmites in karst cave, amino and amidoxime bifunctionalized lotus root-type microsphere with porous surface (NH2@AO-PLRMS) is prepared by the silica nanoparticles (SPs)-stabilized CO2-in-water Pickering emulsion reactor and subsequent two-step grafting polymerization. The important roles of SPs acting as Pickering emulsifier, surface pore-forming agent, and adjusting internal lotus root structure are confirmed. Lotus root-type pores are dependent on the interface intensity and the permeability for compressed CO2 bubbles in PE droplets. Benefitting from the lotus root-type structure and abundant affinity sites, the maximum uranium adsorption capacity of NH2@AO-PLRMS is 1214.5 mg·g−1 at 298 k, and an ultrafast uptake process can be achieved in the first 30 min. Both thermodynamic and kinetic studies indicate a spontaneous, entropy increased, and exothermic chemisorption process, and the synergies of amidoxime and amino groups can enhance the adsorption selectivity. Remarkably, NH2@AO-PLRMS displays a high uranium adsorption capacity and desorption efficiency after seven cycles. These findings provide a way to obtain adsorbents with enhanced uranium extraction performance from gas-in-water PE reactor.

Controllable modification of polymer membranes by LDDLT plasma flow: Antibacterial layer onto PE hollow fiber membrane module

A high-density and uniform network-like antibacterial poly(methacryloxyethyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDMAE-BC) layer was covalently constructed onto polyethylene (PE) hollow fiber membrane surface in a module scale via long-distance and dynamic low-temperature (LDDLT) plasma flow irradiation and subsequent graft polymerization. After the stepwise construction using this surface plasma chemical engineering method, the hydrophilicity of membrane surface was enhanced greatly due to implantation of numerous oxygen-containing groups. Meanwhile, the surface microstructures and chemical composition distributions were more uniform along with the axial distance from the module inlet and no significant damage/etching in membrane surface was observed. And even more prominent, the obtained PDMAE-BC membrane module can effectively destroy and/or inhibit bacteria by antibacterial layer, thereby preventing the formation of biofilms. It not only exhibited a high antibacterial activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli, but also had an antifouling property, an increased water flux and an easy-cleanability. The antibacterial efficacy reached about 92.4% in the membrane module with only 10 PE–PDMAE-BC fibers and can be further improved by increasing the fiber packing density. In the long-term running, both original and PDMAE-BC membrane modules showed a 100% rejection ratio for E. coli. Moreover, the PE–PDMAE-BC membrane module can endure general water rinsing with little loss of antibacterial efficacy and exhibited an excellent antibacterial stability. This PE–PDMAE-BC membrane module should prove useful in actual water (mainly drinking water and wastewater) treatment.

Preparation and Unique Electrical Behaviors of Monodispersed Hybrid Nanorattles of Metal Nanocores with Hairy Electroactive Polymer Shells

A versatile template-assisted strategy for the preparation of monodispersed rattle-type hybrid nanospheres, encapsulating a movable Au nanocore in the hollow cavity of a hairy electroactive polymer shell (Au@air@PTEMA-g-P3HT hybrid nanorattles; PTEMA: poly(2-(thiophen-3-yl)ethyl methacrylate; P3HT: poly(3-hexylthiophene), was reported. The Au@silica core-shell nanoparticles, prepared by the modified Stöber sol-gel process on Au nanoparticle seeds, were used as templates for the synthesis of Au@silica@PTEMA core-double shell nanospheres. Subsequent oxidative graft polymerization of 3-hexylthiophene from the exterior surface of the Au@silica@PTEMA core-double shell nanospheres allowed the tailoring of surface functionality with electroactive P3HT brushes (Au@silica@PTEMA-g-P3HT nanospheres). The Au@air@ PTEMA-g-P3HT hybrid nanorattles were obtained after etching of the silica interlayer by HF. The as-prepared nanorattles were dispersed into an electrically insulating polystyrene matrix and for the first time used to fabricate nonvolatile memory devices. As a result, unique electrical behaviors, including insulator behavior, write-once-read-many-times and rewritable memory effects, and conductor behavior as well, were observed in the Al/Au@air@PTEMA-g-P3HT+PS/ITO (ITO: indium-tin oxide) sandwich thin-film devices.

<b>Preparation of Apatite/TiO<sub>2</sub>/PET Hybrid Materials by Utilizing Self-Assembled Monolayers<br>Formation and Subsequent Controlled Surface Graft Polymerization</b>

Hybrid materials based on apatite-coated polymers have attracted much attention because they are capable of bringing in the characteristic features of bioactivity and biocompatibility natures. This study aims to fabricate novel organic/inorganic hybrids consisting of PET, apatite and TiO2, where TiO2 play a key role as a base component for the formation of self-assembled monolayer on them and the subsequent surface graft polymerization. To this end, we design a new phosphonic acid derivative(1)bearing an initiator site for atom transfer radical polymerization(ATRP). A PET substrate coated with TiO2 was modified by the self-assembled monolayers of phosphonic acid derivatives mentioned above, and the subsequent graft polymerization of a Si(OCH3)3 functions-appended methacrylate by the surface-initiated ATRP. And then, the surface modified TiO2 / PET substrate was coated with a calcium silicate gel, finally soaked in simulated body fluid(SBF)with ion concentrations nearly equal to human blood plasma to form the target apatite / TiO2 / PET hybrid.

Block selective grafting of poly(vinylphosphonic acid) from aromatic multiblock copolymers for nanostructured electrolyte membranes

Alternating aromatic multiblock copolymers have been structurally designed to enable selective lithiation and subsequent anionic graft polymerization from only one of the two block types. The multiblock copolymers were prepared by coupling polyfluoroether (PFE) and polysulfone (PSU) precursor blocks under mild conditions. The judicious combination of blocks allowed for block selective lithiation of the PSU blocks to obtain a macroinitiator for anionic polymerization of diethyl vinylphosphonate. The block selective grafting was confirmed by 1H and 19F NMR spectroscopy. After hydrolysis to obtain poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PVPA) side chains, mechanically stable transparent electrolyte membranes were cast from 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone solutions. Analysis by atom force microscopy showed that the copolymers self-assembled to form nanostructured membranes with continuous proton conducting PVPA phase domains. Calorimetry showed separate glass transition temperatures from the PFE and PVPA phases, with the latter increasing with increasing annealing temperatures as a result of anhydride formation. Fully hydrated multiblock copolymer membranes reached proton conductivities above 80 mS cm−1 at 120 °C. The approach of block selective lithiation and modification of aromatic block copolymers can be used as a general strategy to prepare durable and functional nanostructured polymer membranes and materials.

The Effects of the Reaction Conditions on the Grafting Degree of SiO<sub>2</sub>-g-PMAA Particle

Modified MPS-SiO2 particle was obtained by the bonding of 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (KH-570) on the surface of silica gel particle. The methacrylic acid (MMA) monomers were grafted on the surface of MPS-SiO2 particle to prepare the grafting particles SiO2-g-PMAA. The effects of reaction conditions on the graft degree were explored. The results indicate that the MMA monomers can be easily grafted on the surface of silica gel particle by using the method of graft polymerization. During the graft polymerization, the grafted polymer layer is a hindrance to the subsequent graft polymerization. Then the grafting degree of the polymer under a certain condition has a limiting value. The reaction conditions, such as monomer concentration, the amount of initiator, reaction temperature, have remarkably influence on the graft polymerization of SiO2-g-PMAA.

A novel ultrafiltration (UF) membrane with controllable selectivity for protein separation

A novel ultrafiltration (UF) membrane with controllable selectivity for protein separation was obtained by altering the structure of the thick sieving layer on the membrane surface and subsurface. Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) was first cross-linked on/in the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) hollow fiber microfiltration (MF) membrane to attract more sulfobetaine (SB) monomer adjacent to membrane for subsequent grafting polymerization and the formed thick sulfobetaine polymer (PSB) layer on the membrane surface and subsurface acted as the sieving layer with environment sensitivity. After immersed in 20mmol/L NaCl solution at 60°C, the novel UF membrane with the sieving layer of 4.8μm showed high permeate capacity with a water flux of 590L/m2h and a good selective behavior with MWCO of 95–110kDa. The protein mixture (BSA and Lys) could be separated through the novel UF membrane efficiently by isoelectric focusing of one component with a larger size (BSA). By means of the simple immersion in pure water, the membrane permeated most of proteins and the degree of flux decline reduced obviously. After swelled in NaCl solution again, the membrane restored the selectivity and the protein separation efficiency. Such novel smart UF membrane is an attractive candidate for the batch separation of protein mixtures, expanding the membrane application in the fields of agro-food, biomedicine and other bio-filtration.

Preparation and Characterization of PMAA/SiO<sub>2</sub> Composite Particle Via Emulsion Polymerization

Silica gel particle was chemically modified by using 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (KH-570) as coupling agent. Then poly methyl acrylic acid (PMAA) was grafted on the surface of particles MPS-SiO2 with the method of Emulsion Polymerization, and grafting particles PMMA/SiO2 were prepared. The grafting particle PMAA/SiO2 was characterized by using FT-IR, TG and SEM. The experimental results show that the graft polymerization of methyl acrylic acid (MAA) on onto the surface of silica gel particles can successfully realized using the method of “graft from”. During the graft polymerization, the grafted polymer layer is a hindrance to the subsequent graft polymerization. When the grafted polymer layer reach to a certain density via overlapping and entwisting, a kinetic barrier will be built up. Hence, the grafting degree of the polymer under a certain condition has a limiting value.

Functional Polyolefins: Poly(ethylene)‐graft‐Poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization From a Polybrominated Alkane

Poly(cis-cyclooctene) is synthesized via ring-opening metathesis polymerization in the presence of a chain-transfer agent and quantitatively hydrobrominated. Subsequent graft polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) via Cu-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) from the non-activated secondary alkyl bromide moieties finally results in PE-g-PtBA copolymer brushes. By varying the reaction conditions, a series of well-defined graft copolymers with different graft densities and graft lengths are prepared. The maximum extent of grafting in terms of bromoalkyl groups involved is approximately 80 mol%. DSC measurements on the obtained graft copolymers reveal a decrease in T(m) with increasing grafting density.

Rechargeable biofilm-controlling tubing materials for use in dental unit water lines.

A simple and practical surface grafting approach was developed to introduce rechargeable N-halamine-based antimicrobial functionality onto the inner surfaces of continuous small-bore polyurethane (PU) dental unit waterline (DUWL) tubing. In this approach, tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution of a free-radical initiator, dicumyl peroxide (DCP), flowed through the PU tubing (inner diameter of 1/16 in., or 1.6 mm) to diffuse DCP into the tubing's inner walls, which was used as initiator in the subsequent grafting polymerization of methacrylamide (MAA) onto the tubing. Upon chlorine bleach treatment, the amide groups of the grafted MAA side chains were transformed into acyclic N-halamines. The reactions were confirmed with attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR) spectra and iodometric titration. The mechanical properties of the tubing were not significantly affected by the grafting reactions. The biofilm-controlling function of the new N-halamine-based PU tubing was evaluated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), one of the most isolated water bacteria from DUWLs, in a continuous bacterial flow model. Bacteria culturing and SEM studies showed that the inner surfaces of the new N-halamine-based PU tubing completely prevented bacterial biofilm formation for at least three to four weeks. After that, bacteria began to colonize the tubing surface. However, the lost function was fully regenerated by exposing the tubing inner surfaces to diluted chlorine bleach. The recharging process could be repeated periodically to further extend the biofilm-controlling duration for long-term applications.

Preparation of high PMMA grafted particle SiO2 using surface initiated free radical polymerization

In this work, a convenient surface-initiated free radical graft-polymerization method, by which polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) with a high grafting density was grafted on silica gel particles, was put forward, and it was feasible and effective. The coupling agent γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AMPS) was first bound onto the surfaces of silica gel particles, obtaining the modified particles AMPS-SiO2. So a redox initiation system was constituted with the amino groups on the surfaces of AMPS-SiO2 particles and ammonium persulphate in the solution. A great deal of primary free radicals on the surfaces of AMPS-SiO2 particles is produced via the redox initiating reaction, so that the surface-initiated free radical graft- polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) on the silica gel particles was realized, giving the grafted particles PMAA/SiO2 with a high grafting degree (about 30 g/100 g) of PMAA. The effects of the main factors on the surface initiated graft polymerization were examined and the corresponding mechanism was investigated in depth. The experimental results show that for this surface-initiated free radical graft-polymerization of MAA, the suitable temperature is 40 °C. If the temperature is over 40 °C, the graft polymerization will be affected negatively, and the grafting degree of PMAA will decline because of the intense heat decomposition of ammonium persulphate. During the graft polymerization, the grafted polymer layer that has formed is a hindrance to the subsequent graft polymerization. The used amount of initiator and the monomer concentration affect the graft polymerization greatly. The appropriate reaction conditions are as follows: reaction time of 10 h, initiator persulphate amount of 1.1% (it implies the mass percent of the monomer), and monomer MAA concentration of about 5% (it drives at the mass percent of the solution).

Characterization of Surface Modification of Polyethersulfone Membrane

Surface modification of polyethersulfone (PES) membrane surfaces using UV/ozone pretreatment with subsequent grafting and interfacial polymerization on membrane surface was investigated in order to improve the resistance of membrane surface to protein adsorption. The surface modifications were evaluated in terms of hydrophilicity, chemical composition of the surface and static protein adsorption. In both methods, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and chitosan were chosen as hydrophilic polymers to chemically modify the commercial virgin PES membrane to render it more hydrophilic as these materials have excellent hydrophilic property. Modified PES membranes were characterized by contact angle and XPS. Contact angles of modified PES membranes were reduced by 19 to 58% of that of the virgin PES membrane. PES membrane modified with PEG shows higher wettability than other hydrophilic materials with the highest contact angle reduction shown for UV/ozone pretreated, PEG grafted PES membrane surface. In general, XPS spectra supported that the PES membranes were successfully modified by both grafting with UV/ozone pretreatment and interfacial polymerization methods. The results of the static protein adsorption experiments showed all surface modifications led to reduction in protein adsorption on PES membranes; the highest protein adsorption reduction occurred with membrane modified by UV/ozone pretreatment followed by PES grafting, which corresponded to the highest contact angle reduction. However, there seems to be no clear correlation between contact angle reduction and reduction in protein adsorption in the case that involved chitosan. Nevertheless, membranes modified with chitosan do show higher reduction in protein adsorption than membranes modified with other materials under the same conditions.

Chitosan immobilization on polyacrylic acid grafted polypropylene monofilament

Polypropylene (PP) suture was prepared by plasma-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto polypropylene monofilament. The monofilament was treated with oxygen plasma to create hydroperoxide groups and subsequent graft polymerization was initiated on this exposed monofilament. The grafted filament was immobilized with chitosan (CS) using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) as the linking agent between amino and carboxyl groups. The chitosan content increased with the increase in the degree of grafting on the filament. However, a fraction of the carboxyl groups remained as free functional groups. The pH of the medium has significant influence over the CS immobilization. The transition in immobilization was observed at 4–4.6 pH. The characterization of the immobilized surface by attenuated total reflectance (ATR), contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). ATR showed that the CS is bonded to the filament surface. The contact angles of the surfaces are significantly enhanced and are the indicative of the enhanced hydrophobicity as compared to the grafted surfaces. XPS showed an increasing trend in the nitrogen content with the increasing graft levels on the filaments. The SEM/AFM revealed that the surface morphology undergoes a gradual change with the increase in the degree of grafting.

Preparation of thermosensitive gold nanoparticles by plasma pretreatment and UV grafted polymerization

This work is to develop an easy method of plasma treatment and graft polymerization to prepare thermosensitive gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles (Nano-Au) were reduced by trisodium citrate combined with hydrogen tetrachloroaurate(III) tetrahydrate (chloroauric acid) and modified with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) by the self-assembly monolayers (SAM). The surface graft polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) was carried out by two steps, using O 2 plasma pretreatment of the surface on MUA SAM modified Nano-Au to form the peroxide groups on Nano-Au(MUA), and then subsequently using UV light to induce grafting with thermosensitive polymer. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to direct investigation of the particle size and morphology in situ. The diameters of the gold nanoparticles measured from the TEM images are in good agreement with data measured at room temperature which is about 15 nm. The thermosensitive gold nanoparticles were characterized by chemical structure of surface (ESCA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). ESCA result suggests that plasma treatments can be employed to generate peroxides on the Nano-Au(MUA) for the subsequent UV graft polymerization of PNIPAAm.

Graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto polypropylene monofilament by RF plasma

AbstractPlasma‐induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto polypropylene monofilament was carried out to introduce carboxyl groups on its surface. The monofilament was treated with oxygen plasma to create hydroperoxide groups and subsequent graft polymerization of acrylic acid on exposed filament was carried out. An increase in the plasma power led to higher graft levels. It was observed that the hydroperoxide build up on PP surface follows linear increase with the increase in the plasma treatment time only up to 180 s beyond which it slowed down significantly. The formation of oxygenated species was ascertained by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the peroxide content was measured by the 2′‐diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) estimation. The grafting was observed to be considerably influenced by the plasma exposure time, plasma power, reaction temperature, monomer concentration and the storage temperature. A maximum in the degree of grafting was observed at 40% monomer concentration beyond which grafting tended to decrease very fast. The grafting was also found to be maximum at 50°C followed by a sharp decrease, subsequently. The storage of the exposed filament at −80°C led to the identical grafting all along the 16 days. However, the storage at 25°C showed significant reduction in the degree of grafting. The atomic force microscopy showed that surface morphology is transformed into a nonhomogeneous one after the plasma exposure, but tends to flatten out after the grafting process in the form of globular structures. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010

Synthesis of photo- and pH-responsive composite nanoparticles using a two-step controlled radical polymerization method

We present a versatile synthetic method for photo- and pH-sensitive composite nanoparticles using a combined use of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Crosslinked nanoparticles of a random copolymer composed of methyl methacrylate (MMA), 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) and divinylbenzene (DVB) were first synthesized using RAFT miniemulsion polymerization in aqueous solution. This was followed by solvent exchange through extraction and dialysis that allowed the nanoparticles to be transferred to and highly swollen in an organic solvent (anisole or THF). By dissolving a monomer of a stimuli-responsive polymer in the solution, subsequent ATRP grafting polymerization could be initiated by halide groups on the swollen nanoparticle, resulting in larger composite nanoparticles. Photosensitive poly(1-pyrenylmethyl methacrylate) (PPyMA) and pH-sensitive poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were incorporated in the composite nanoparticles, and their photo- and pH-responsive behaviors were investigated. With this method, monomers soluble in organic solvents can be used in conjunction with emulsion polymerization in aqueous solution to design functional composite nanoparticles.