We report herein a facile and generalized approach to the modification of solid surfaces with polymer brushes under ambient conditions: filter paper-assisted surface-initiated Cu 0 -mediated controlled radical polymerization (PSI-CuCRP). The polymerization solution wetted filter paper is sandwiched between a copper plate and an initiator-modified substrate, which allows the creation of a surface-initiated polymerization (SIP) "band-aid" so that everyone can perform the surface grafting selectively with good control over the quality of the polymer brushes employing low concentration and microliter amounts of the monomer solution. The versatility of this method is demonstrated by grafting different homo-, block-, and multicomponent polymer brushes by using the same activation system and reaction conditions, the polymerization process can be precisely controlled to yield uniform polymers and show high chain-end functionality which is exemplified by in situ tetra-copolymerization. The combination of photolithography and paper cutting enables to prepare arbitrary three-dimensional patterned polymer brushes on the surface.
Here, we report an oxygen-tolerant photografting technique
to grow
polymer brushes employing microliter volumes of monomer solution under
ambient conditions. With the key advantages that include spatial control,
initiator/catalyst-free nature, and high oxygen tolerance, a series
of homo-, multiblock, and arbitrary patterned polymer brushes were
successfully obtained by photografting. Moreover, a dual-functional
surface with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties could easily be
realized by one-pot photografting. These results illustrated the practicality
and versatility of this strategy, which will allow nonexperts access
to polymer brush architectures and broaden the potential applications
of polymer brushes.
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