Patent ID: 7687600

Claim:
An amphiphilic polymer compound comprising a polymeric component of a formula wherein X is selected from alkenyl and substituted alkenyl moieties, and n is an integer greater than 1; and Y and Z independently comprise and are independently selected from oxyacetic acid, substituted oxyacetic acid, oxyacetic acid salt, substituted oxyacetic acid salt, oxyacetic acid ester, oxyacetamide, substituted oxyacetamide, poly (ethylene oxide), substituted poly (ethylene oxide), benzoxy, substituted benzoxy, alkoxy and substituted alkoxy moieties, one of said Y and Z a hydrophilic moiety and one of said Y and Z a hydrophobic moiety, said Y and Z moieties together providing amphiphilic character to said polymer, said polymer having amphiphilic character sufficient for assembly of a micellar configuration in one of a polar and a non-polar medium and inversion of said micellar configuration with change in medium polarity.