In this paper, we investigate the
influence of selected reaction
parameters on the formation of surface-attached polymer monolayers.
The process is based on the
use of self-assembled monolayers containing a polymerizable group
and the performance of a bulk free radical polymerization reaction
(“grafting through polymerization”). To this, methacryl
moieties were immobilized on silica gel surfaces via a silane linker.
During the polymerization reaction in a conventional way, free polymer
is formed in solution. However, every now and then during chain growth
also surface-attached monomers become integrated in the polymer chains,
leading instantaneously to covalent linking of the growing polymer
molecules to the surfaces. As more and more polymer chains become
attached, this leads to the formation of a surface-attached polymer
layer on the silica surface. Various sets of polymerization reactions
were performed and the influence of a variation of temperature, reaction
time and concentration of monomer, initiator, and immobilized monomer
onto the layer formation are investigated. We propose a model of the
layer formation process and the grafting-through process is compared
to grafting-to and grafting-from techniques.
We describe RCM reactions in the presence of a Hoveydatype catalyst covalently immobilized on different support materials. The performance of the catalyst was highly dependent on the nature of the support, and in some cases high levels of conversion were obtained, allowing for repetitive cycles. In addition, remarkably low levels of leaching of ru-
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