Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization method

Fig. 4 Synthesis process of preparing polymeric organic phase hy surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (grafting-from method).

Recently, surface modification techniques for polymer chains have progressed a great deal with the development of a new polymer synthesis method. In particular, surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) is one of the most effective modification methods for preparing a well-defined dense polymer brush structure, or polymer brush, on solid substrates. Thus, a self-oscillating polymer brush prepared by SI-ATRP can be expected to create a novel self-oscillating surface with autonomous function, which will lead to potential applications in transporting systems for nanomaterials of flow control in microfluidics. 

Singh, N., et al. 2008. Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization a new method for preparation of polymeric membrane adsorbers. Journal of Membrane Science 309(1-2) 64-n. 

In this review, synthesis of block copolymer brushes will be Hmited to the grafting-from method. Hussemann and coworkers [35] were one of the first groups to report copolymer brushes. They prepared the brushes on siUcate substrates using surface-initiated TEMPO-mediated radical polymerization. However, the copolymer brushes were not diblock copolymer brushes in a strict definition. The first block was PS, while the second block was a 1 1 random copolymer of styrene/MMA. Another early report was that of Maty-jaszewski and coworkers [36] who reported the synthesis of poly(styrene-h-ferf-butyl acrylate) brushes by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). 

The patterned organosilane monolayers introducing organolsilane molecule with a polymerization initiating unit are useful as template surfaces for site-specific polymerization. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) unit was immobilized as a monolayer component. Since ATRP is one of the most successful methods for polymerizing a variety of monomers in a controlled fashion [44, 45], tailor-made surface topography is possible. Several reports have described the formation of polymer thin film by the radical polymerization from the immobilized ATRP initiator [46, 47],... 

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