An adaptive surface
that can sense and respond to environmental
stimuli is integral to smart functional materials. Here, we report
pH-responsive anchoring systems onto the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)
corona of polymer vesicles. The hydrophobic anchor, pyrene, is reversibly
inserted into the PEG corona through the reversible protonation of
its covalently linked pH-sensing group. Depending on the pKaof the sensor, the pH-responsive region is
engineered from acidic to neutral and basic conditions. The switchable
electrostatic repulsion between the sensors contributes to the responsive
anchoring behavior. Our findings provide a new responsive binding
chemistry for the creation of smart nanomedicine and a nanoreactor.