New multi-stimuli responsive cationic copolymers based on N-acryloyl-N-ethyl piperazine (AcrNEP) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) were prepared by thermal free-radical solution polymerization in dioxane at 75 degrees C. The chemical composition of the copolymers was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy and was found that the copolymers were slightly rich in NIPAM content than that of AcrNEP. The reactivity of the two monomers for the copolymerization reaction was evaluated by the extended Kelen-Tudos method. The distribution of monomer sequence in the copolymer chain was estimated using the terminal copolymerization model. The maximum tendency to alternation (approximate to 70%) was at 60 mol % of AcrNEP in the monomer feed. The copolymers were readily soluble in water at room temperature at all compositions and exhibited well-defined lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phenomenon. The influence of various stimuli such as pH, temperature, simple inorganic salts, and surfactants on the LCST of the copolymers was studied in detail. Simple inorganic salts such as sodium chloride, sodium bromide, and sodium sulfate showed a salting-out effect while sodium iodide showed a salting-in effect. The salting-out coefficient of the salts were calculated using the Sestchenow method, and the salting trend followed the order SO42->Cl->Br->I-. The divalent salt was more effective in lowering the LCST than the monovalent salts. The cationic surfactant hexadecyl trimethylammonium bromide at concentrations above the critical micelle concentration caused a gradual increase in the LCST of the copolymer solutions. The intrinsic viscosity and light scattering behavior of the copolymers in water and in sodium chloride solutions were studied in detail. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1175-1183