Introduction of new components is an effective way to gain new functionalities and to regulate the properties of responsive polymers. In the present work, a RAFT polymerization approach to terpyridine-containing poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) copolymers was developed and the dually responsive behavior of the obtained polymer to temperature variation and metal ions in dilute solutions were investigated. By utilizing RAFT polymerization, the molecular weight polydispersity index of the polymer can be reduced compared with the traditional free radical polymerization method. Due to the coexistence of thermosensitive component and terpyridine, the synthesized polymer is thermosensitive and metal ion sensitive. Further titration investigation revealed that this polymer may be utilized as a water-soluble and colorimetric sensor for Fe2+ and Fe3+ and the obvious color change from a colorless state to a purple state makes the polymer a potential sensor to detect Fe2+ and Fe3+ macroscopically by naked eye. Overall, the terpyridine-containing poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) copolymers may enrich the family of terpyridine-containing polymers and provide some clues for developing new multi-responsive and multi-functional polymers. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.