Stimuli-responsive biocompatible and biodegradable materials can be obtained by combining polysaccharides with polymers exhibiting lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase behavior, such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). The behavior of aqueous solutions of sodium alginate (NaAl) grafted with PNIPAM (NaAl-g-PNIPAM)copolymers as a function of composition and temperature is presented.

sodium alginate, PNIPAM, graft copolymers, thermothickening