A series of water-soluble comb-like copolymers of poly(acrylic acid-co-methoxypolyethylene glycol monomethacrylate)(P(AA-co-mPEGMA)) with different compositions and structures were synthesized by freeradical copolymerization of acrylic acid and methoxypolyethylene glycol monomethacrylate(mPEG1000MA) or mPEG2000MA macromonomers

sodium methyl allyl sulfonate(SMAS) in aqueous solutions.The intrinsic viscosity of comb-like P(AA-co-mPEGMA) copolymers

measured by using Ubbelohde viscometer

was used as a factor to characterize the molecular weight.Crystallization behavior of the mPEG side chains in comblike copolymers was studied by DSC that allowed accurately measuring melting point

crystallization temperature as well as melting enthalpy.The results indicated that the crystallization of the mPEG side chains proceeded under a confined condition created by the glassy PAA main chains.It was shown that the melting point

crystallization temperature and melting enthalpy of mPEG side chains were different from those of the pure PEG chains and were significantly affected by many structural factors such as the side chain density

side chain length and main chain length etc.