Temperature sensitive, water soluble polymers are disclosed, together with a method for control the LCST of the polymer. The polymers include hydrophillic components and hydrophobic components joined by linking groups such as ester or amide groups wherein the hydrophilic components includes m ethylene oxide groups, the hydrophobic components consist of aliphatic groups such as n ethylenes and/or n cycloaliphatic groups, and where 1≦m≦30 and 1≦n≦30. Substrates bearing the grafted temperature responsive polymers also are disclosed. Microfluidic devices which include the temperature responsive polymers also are disclosed.