This paper describes the synthesis of metal nanoparticles using Pluronic-type surfactants composed of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) (PEO-PPO block copolymers) in solutions. Metal (gold and silver) nanoparticles are syntheized by simply mixing of a metal salt (HAuCl₄ and AgNO₃) solution with a Pluronic-type surfactant solution in the absence of any other reducing agents. Size- and shape-control, colloidal stabilization of metal nanoparticles and the synthesis of bimetallic nanocolloids are achieved by judicious selection of Pluronic-type surfactants and solution properties (e.g., variation of block copolymer type, amphiphilic character, concentration, temperature, solvent) due to the multi-function (the reducing function for metal ions and capping (stabilizing) function for metal nanoparticles) of Pluronic-type surfactants. The synthesis of metal nanoparticles using amino-terminated PEO-PPO block copolymers (PEO-PPO-NH₂) is also introduced in this paper.

Two fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers [R_F-(M)_n-R_F] were prepared by reaction of fluoroalkanoyl peroxide with traditional radical polymerizable monomers (M). These fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers can be classified according to their structure into new ABA triblock-type fluorinated polysoaps, and form the nanometer size controlled self-assembled molecular aggregates with the aggregation of terminal fluoroalkyl segments in aqueous and organic media. Fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomeric aggregates can interact with a variety of guest molecules such as gold, silver and copper nanoparticles to afford the corresponding fluorinated oligomers/guest molecules nanocomposites. The preparation and applications of these new fluorinated oligomers/guest molecules nanocomposites are reviewed in this articles.

Well-defined amphiphilic diblock copolymers composed of a hydrophilic linear polymer block and hydrophobic block bearing pendent dendritic moieties were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) controlled/living radical polymerization. These amphiphilic diblock copolymers formed interpolymer aggregates due to hydrophobic interactions between dendron moieties in water. The hydrophobic domains formed from the aggregates recognized small shape difference of hydrophobic small guest molecules. The amphiphilic diblock copolymers formed inter-micellar aggregates or vesicles depending on the composition of hydrophilic linear and hydrophobic dendritic blocks.

This review highlights the newly developed thermosensitive polymers exhibiting a sharp thermosensitive phase transition in water, as the representative stimuli-responsive polymers. Especially, recent precision synthesis via living polymerization has created new possibilities to a variety of stimuli-responsive polymers. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) [poly(NIPAM)] and a wide range of other thermoresponsive polyamides with well-defined structures have been synthesized by mainly living radical polymerization. Furthermore, various block copolymers were extensively synthesized and their characteristic thermosensitive behaviors and their applications to the biomedical fields were demonstrated. On the other hand, polymers with oxyethylene groups exhibited also a sharp thermosensitive phase transition in water. For example, a variety of thermosensitive poly(vinyl ether)s with controlled sequences and/or shapes such as various block copolymers and star-shaped polymers were designed and synthesized by living cationic polymerization. In addition to the selective synthesis, the thermosensitive behavior of polymers with oxyethylene groups is briefly reviewed. The recent progress in the investigations on thermosensitive poly(vinyl ether)s such as thermosensitive star polymers, stimuli-responsive alternating copolymers with quantitative degradability, and thermosensitive liposomes for tumor-specific chemotherapy, is also described in the last part.